Who Are You?
by Animegoddess7878
Summary: "I thought things were bad enough but why are you doing this to me? What do you want? Who are you?" Naruto thought that college and avoiding the love of his life was hard enough, but putting a stalker into the mix just wasn't fair. Detailed description in the first chapter, AU/Modern, future/clear SasuNaru, slight SasuSui, don't like don't read, rating will go up
1. Chapter 1

**Brand new story, like I promised! This isn't what I was originally working but the idea came to me and just wouldn't leave me the hell alone. Plus I haven't really seen anything like this done in a while and I thought, 'Hey, why don't I take a crack at this and see where this goes?' This is the result.**

 **Description: As if starting college and avoiding his best friend/love of his life after being rejected wasn't bad enough, the last thing Naruto thought he would ever get is a stalker. Letter after letter, he's slowly starting to fear for his safety, especially when the mystery person begins to threaten those close to him. Just as Naruto starts to build the courage to tell someone about the matter, Sasuke decides he wants back into Naruto's life. Will the blonde choose the raven when Sasuke becomes a potential target? Or will he face the man who decided that they would be together...even if it meant death? SasuNaru, slight SasuSui but not for long. AU/Modern day fic. Not for the faint of heart in future chapters, or those who are easily frightened by the thought of a stranger sending letters and knocking on your door. Other slight pairings but nothing that will be described in detail.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing and receive no compensation of any sort other than reviews/favorites/follows for this story. This was inspired by an episode of 'Criminal Minds' which is in no way mine and belongs to CBS entertainment. All characters used belong to Masashi Kishimoto and other such legal owners and affiliations. The song 'Stacy's Mom' is not mine either, although it was only briefly mentioned. Italics are the letters, in case that was not obvious.**

 _Dear my love,_

 _This time that we spend apart slowly eats away at me and I can only hope that it's doing the same to you. I can see it in the way you stare off into the distance…I can see that you're thinking of me. The hue of blue gemstones that God mistook for eyes glazes over with love for me and I long to have you stare at my face like that. I wish that I had more courage, like you my dear, so that we could be together all the time. That time will come sooner than you think and you'll be wrapped safely in my arms. I don't know what I would do with myself if something were to keep us apart. I will fight for you…I will kill for you. I know everything there is to know about you and I know that we will be happy together. All you have to do is just wait for me a little while longer. I will be with you soon._

 _With all my love,_

 _Your haven._

The boy stared at the letter that was grasped so tightly between tanned, now pale due to the restricted circulation, hands as his normally confident being shook with fear. The letter was the same as the last six he had received during the past couple of months. The words were typed on common paper, folded into the shape of an envelope, and equipped with a trinket of some sort. This one had come with a feather; white with the color red bordering the delicate outline of the soft fibers. He had no clue what each little item meant to this deranged nut-case but he was sure that this person belonged in a mental health facility. The letters themselves weren't what scared the boy at first; it was the fact that they always appeared out of nowhere with absolutely no trace of who had left them. Hell he didn't even know if the person was male or female! The words that the mystery person used were never threatening before and at first he welcomed the change-up from the regular boring mail he had always gotten, but at the same time the endearing terms such as 'my love' and 'your haven' threw him off balance. Each one he had received began with 'dear my love' and always ended with 'your haven' although he had no idea why. When they first started arriving, he had thought that it was just a harmless admirer that was too shy to give themselves away. He thought that the first one was a simple love letter, like the ones he had gotten before his high school graduation, and he thought that it was sweet of the person to send him something. Now that the letters were getting more descriptive and possessive, he understood that he had not just a fan but a stalker.

Naruto Uzumaki was a boy of nineteen and a recent freshman at the prestigious college Konoha Academy majoring in psychology and minoring in criminal law. At first when he had graduated high school he wanted to go into the military in order to join the marines, but because of his asthma the dream of defending his country at sea was dashed by the recruiter. His parents had been supportive and encouraging about the rejection but when he was told he couldn't join the young man fell into a depression of sorts. The only person he could really talk to was his best friend, Sasuke Uchiha. The two had known each other ever since they learned how to walk since their parents were best friends in college and Sasuke was the first person to know that the blonde was gay. It was during the summer of their junior year in high school and Naruto thought that Sasuke took the information surprisingly well. Not surprisingly, Sasuke was the boy he fell in love with, but the hope of having a relationship with the dark-haired boy was killed swiftly when Sasuke confessed that he also liked men and had a crush on a boy in their class named Suigetsu. At the time Naruto had smiled and told him that he would support Sasuke in whatever relationship he got into but the minute he arrived home that day he cried himself to sleep. Not even his mother, known horrifyingly as the 'Red-Hot Habanero' both at home and by her friends, could get him to come out of his room that night. When summer ended and senior year began, Sasuke and Suigetsu began dating and had appeared happy ever since. Sadly, because his heart was so broken and he couldn't handle seeing the person he loved with another Naruto stopped hanging out with Sasuke almost completely. Naruto had even chosen a different college than the raven, who was attending the same elite school that his older brother had chosen, Akatsuki University, on the other side of the city. Naruto had ceased all contact with the Uchiha two months ago when the raven's first term started, and that was when the letters began to show up.

In his optimistic mind he had thought that maybe the first letter was from Sasuke himself because it had said something along the lines of being sorry for not facing him and that they would be together again like they used to be. When Naruto thought about it more logically though he knew that Sasuke was still with Suigetsu, so it made no sense that the Uchiha would send him a love letter with a buttercup flower in it. Two weeks went by and as the blonde was starting to forget about the odd piece of mail, he received another one. That time the trinket was a silver locket with a small picture of his cat, Kyuubi inside of it. The feline was a graduation gift from his mother and father to, as his father later revealed, keep him company in his new apartment by his school. Minato Namikaze owned a chain of hotels that was about to go international while his mother Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze was a former marine, hence his dream to be one. His mother, after leaving the marines to raise Naruto and be with Minato more, went back to school to become a chef and she now owned her own restaurant that Naruto worked at over the summers. Naruto was their only child and thus they spoiled him rotten, but the blonde offspring of the successful beings didn't let the treatment go to his head all that much like other rich kids he knew. Being an only child, since his mother had complications giving birth to him and therefore hadn't tried for any more children, his parents were naturally over-protective and dotting. Naruto was ecstatic to learn that they trusted him enough to live on his own for a while and bought an apartment for him as a college present. But the animal was still new to him at the time and thus he had no pictures of the kitten for himself, so he had no idea how the person writing the letters had known about him.

Since then the letters kept coming but they had been sent to his apartment address instead of his home address. When Naruto asked his parents who all knew where he was living they had said that his grandparents, a famous surgeon by the name of Tsunade and a perverted author/porn director known as Jiraiya, and his friends Kiba, Hinata, Sakura and Sai were the only ones they told. Naruto knew that Kiba wouldn't send him any letters since he loved to text too much and had been dating Hinata for the better part of three years so the dog lover wasn't a suspect to the blonde. Sai might have done something like this when they first met during senior year of high school when the creepy boy was transferred into the school, but the boy who looked WAY too much like Sasuke wouldn't have taken the joke so far as to add small tokens to the letters. Sakura Haruno grew up with him and Sasuke so he knew that she wasn't the type to send such things; she would rather hand deliver something and confess her feelings outright instead of beating around the bush so that left Naruto back at square one. He didn't know anyone else that seemed to have cause to do this sort of thing and it only frightened him more. Now, he was still holding tightly onto the seventh letter that had been delivered and he was close to crying.

Naruto was never a weak person by any means but he didn't know who he could tell about this. Knowing the justice system well enough to minor in it, he knew that the authorities couldn't help him unless they had a suspect or unless something had actually physically happened to him. Naruto didn't want to let it get that far but he was slowly losing his mind over the issue. It was one thing to receive the letters but what rattled him the most was the feeling of insecurity and vulnerability. Naruto had no idea what this person looked like and was slowly growing paranoid at everyone who looked at him on the streets. When he had to go shopping for groceries he was terrified to stay out of the apartment for too long in case the psycho was taking pictures of him. But he didn't want his parents to know because his poor mother would be beside herself in worry at first and then blinded by rage second and his father would play out dangerous scenarios in his head until he got so paranoid he moved Naruto out of the country! His friends were all the same as well and he stopped talking to Sasuke altogether so he came to the depressing conclusion that he was on his own. Also forensics couldn't do much either since tracing normal paper and common brand printer ink was almost impossible; not to mention that there was no paper trail since the letters never had stamps or smudges on them.

Growing more and more upset and slightly more paranoid, Naruto decided to just let the issue go for the time being as he focused on his first homework assignment for his psychology class. Thirty minutes into his assignment about emotional ticks and subtleties, his cell phone rang alerting him that his mother was calling. Picking the device up from the throw blanket draped across his legs on his couch he quickly silenced 'Stacy's Mom' and greeted his mother.

"Hi mom! How is my kitten since he's had his poor balls cut off?"

"Hi baby, Kyuubi is doing fine. He's a little groggy and has been meowing for the past hour for you but he'll be alright. I was calling to see how your first day had gone!"

"It was fine. The teacher seems to be a little lazy though, so I don't know how much I'm going to like it."

"Well lazy or not he's still your teacher so show him the respect he deserves. And make sure that you turn in all of your homework on time and presented neatly. You remember how much your grades suffered in your math class because your work was so sloppy."

"Yes mom I know but I still passed with a B average. And that was my sophomore year during my geometry class and you know I can't draw to save my life."

"Unfortunately I do. Make sure you study hard and try to make some new friends. I'm sure that you'll fit right in!"

"I partnered up with this really cool guy named Shikamaru today so does that count? The guy just wanted to sleep though and you wouldn't believe the reason why he went into the course!"

"Oh I love gossip, tell me!"

"He told me that it was the only job that had a couch and paid well enough to support him financially!"

"Well it sounds like something you would say in all honesty dear. But I'm happy that you've made a friend already!"

"I am too; it's weird being in a new school with new people. In high school and middle school you just change teachers and class difficulties. All of the people are the same unless we get transfer students or someone moves away."

"Speaking of moving, how are you liking your new apartment? Are you keeping it clean? Your father and I are going to be visiting you for the upcoming holiday so I expect it to be as mess-free as it was when we chose it."

"The place is great mom I just wish the people beside me would turn their music down a bit when it gets to be really late. I'm hoping that I can just get used to it though."

"That was something your father and I had to deal with when we were living in our first apartments. Noisy neighbors are always a pain but it makes you learn about how you want to live in the future."

"I guess you're right."

"There was something else I wanted to ask you about Naru honey."

"What's up?"

"Sasuke called earlier today asking if you were home and wanted to go to the movies later this week with him since he has some free time after classes let out this Friday and he hasn't seen you in a while. I told him that you had a place of your own now and that your classes had started and he asked me if I could tell him where you lived."

"What…what did you tell him?"

"All I said was that I would call you and get back to him. He thanked me and hung up without a word."

"Is that so?"

"Naruto…I know that you took his relationship with that other boy very hard but why did you stop talking to him? Sasuke didn't know that you loved him, so I'm sure that he never meant to hurt you darling."

"I know he didn't…but I just…I can't see him with that guy. It hurts too much, mom. When we were still in school they did everything together. When Sasuke would invite me to the mall, Suigetsu was there. Movies, parks, concerts, restaurants, the two were always together and I just felt like the third wheel. I don't want to feel like that again. I know I told him I would support his relationship but I didn't think it would be this painful."

"Have you told Sasuke that you have feelings for him?"

"No…."

"And has Sasuke seemed to rub it in your face that he's with someone else?"

"It may not be rubbing it in my face but it sure seemed like he liked to show off the fact that he was dating Suigetsu."

"But did Sasuke ever taunt you about him being in a relationship and you not?"

"No…."

"Then I'm sure that Sasuke is just confused as to why his best friend refuses to speak with him and doesn't tell him anything anymore. He sounded hurt on the phone when I said you didn't live here anymore."

Naruto knew that his behavior towards the youngest Uchiha wasn't fair but the blonde just didn't have the strength to face the boy he loved right now. Knowing that he was happy with his…boyfriend…was heartbreaking to say the least and he didn't want to feel like a second option to him if Suigetsu wasn't available. Telling Sasuke that he was in love with him was out of the question due to the obvious 'friend zone' Naruto was placed in, so Naruto did the only thing he thought he could do. He decided to cut all ties and try to move on. So far, he had stopped talking to him but as for the 'moving on' part it was easier said than actually executed. Naruto loved Sasuke to a point where he always though he saw him in stores or coffee shops he passed on the streets.

"Naruto? Naruto are you still there? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah, mom…I'm still here."

"You got really quiet all of a sudden…and you didn't answer me."

"I'm sorry, what did you ask me again? I was writing down something for my assignment."

"I asked you what you wanted me to tell Sasuke about your apartment and the movies this weekend."

"Tell him that I have to do homework and log study hours. As for the apartment…I don't know what to say to him about it but I don't want him to know where I'm at for now."

"Naru honey I think you should talk with him again. You were always happier after you spent the day with each other."

"I was happier when I spent the day with JUST him. Now, as I said before, it's always him and Suigetsu."

"Alright, I won't push the matter anymore. Is there anything else going on right now?"

Naruto wondered if he should tell his mother about the letters he had been getting as he caught a glimpse of the seemingly innocent parchment on the floor of his entry hallway but decided against it for the time. If the letters got worse or started to become sexual or threatening, then he would bring in his mother and father. For now he just wanted to focus on his schooling and his non-existent love life.

"Nothing else is new right now, mom."

"Okay then, I'll let you go to work on your homework. Your father will call later this week when he gets back from the Caribbean as soon as his business deal closes. So far he tells me it's going well, so cross your fingers for him!"

"I will mom so wish him luck for me when he calls you next. I love you."

"I love you, too baby. Give mama kisses!"

Naruto kissed the phone twice before he heard his mother giggle and then he hung up. Running a hand through his blonde, thick locks of hair he looked at the time and saw that it was nearly ten thirty and he had been on the phone for almost an hour. Afternoon classes had their ups and downs but Naruto knew that he wouldn't have stood a chance at the school if he got into the morning program. It was a reason that Naruto started his schooling later than Sasuke. When the boys were small, they had talked about where they wanted to go for higher education. Sasuke knew that he wanted to go into business like his father and run a company of his own one day so the young raven knew what he wanted to do ever since he could talk. Naruto though was on the fence with education until he got into middle school and talked about the marines. There was a training camp about fifteen minutes away from Akatsuki University so Sasuke had told Naruto that he should apply there. Naruto was glad that his best friend was a genius since he didn't want to be separated from the beautiful boy but all of their carefully laid out plans and dreams shattered when he found out he couldn't enlist. Sasuke wasn't as crushed but he was still upset that Naruto hadn't made it in. Sasuke did some research about the school and discovered that they also had a psychology course. After telling Naruto about it they both sent their applications to the school and were both excited but nervous to hear back from the administrators. A week after that, Naruto confessed that he was gay and Sasuke told him that he liked Suigetsu. Ever since then, whenever the Uchiha spoke of it, Naruto would only play the excited fool as his mind told him he couldn't handle being in the same college as Sasuke. Four months before graduating, he had been accepted into Konoha Academy and he began the separation.

Finishing his homework quickly after thinking too much about the past, Naruto stretched from his sitting position on the couch and went to shower for the night. Naruto loved bathing, and showers were considered sacred to him. His father shared his love of water and understood the desire to have hot water pouring over your back after a hard day's work while listening to the splashing against the tub and shower tiles. Sometimes when Naruto was cursed with sleeplessness he would turn on his laptop and bring up sounds of thunderstorms or heavy rain to make him sleep. It never failed him and he hoped that it wouldn't start to fail him in college. Finishing up his nightly grooming, Naruto crawled into bed and drifted off into a light sleep; preparing himself for another day of his new college life.


	2. Chapter 2

**It's a long read everybody, I hope you're not too angry with me. This and the first chapter were originally supposed to be one, but I guess you can sort of see why I divided it into two parts. Anyway, here is the second chapter of Who Are You? and I'm hoping that you're all interested so far. In this chapter we get to see some more of Naruto's life revealed and some more hints being dropped of Sasuke's feelings. Plus, there is another creepy-ass letter. Let's hope that Naruto doesn't lose his mind while trying to sort everything out! I own nothing but the plot and everything belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I don't have to tell you how Naruto would have ended if I owned it, that's for damn sure.**

 **Summary: As if starting college and avoiding his best friend/love of his life after being rejected wasn't bad enough, the last thing Naruto thought he would ever get is a stalker. Letter after letter, he's slowly starting to fear for his safety, especially when the mystery person begins to threaten those close to him. Just as Naruto starts to build the courage to tell someone about the matter, Sasuke decides he wants back into Naruto's life. Will the blonde choose the raven when Sasuke becomes a potential target? Or will he face the man who decided that they would be together...even if it meant death? SasuNaru, slight SasuSui but not for long. AU/Modern day fic. Not for the faint of heart in future chapters, or those who are easily frightened by the thought of a stranger sending letters and knocking on your door. Other slight pairings but nothing that will be described in detail.**

* * *

The next morning greeted Naruto with a blinding ray of sunshine straight to his face and a blaring alarm going off next to his ear. Rolling over to turn off the screaming techno music he programed his phone to play, the boy fell ungracefully off of the bed and hit the floor in a tangle of sheets and limbs. Unwrapping himself from the warmth of the blankets and fighting the soreness of his back and right hip, he switched the ringtone off and stood to begin his day. Naruto wandered into his small kitchen to fix himself a bowl of cereal and a plate of toast for breakfast. Eating slowly and placing his dirty dishes into the sink to be done later, he headed towards the room beside his bedroom that had been designated as his workout room. Naruto had no problem with showing off his body to the general public but there was always something about going to the gym that unnerved the boy; and the issue was only more of a bother since he had been getting the letters. The room was equipped with an elliptical, treadmill, punching bag, bench press, free weights, and some piece used for crunches. Not only did he do the usual workout routine but he also did yoga three times a week in his living room to keep up his flexibility and overall good health. The blonde was by no means 'buff' but he was well defined and just plain gorgeous. Not only did he have the softest, brightest blonde hair that framed his face perfectly, he had the most beautiful blue eyes any of his friends had ever seen. The color complemented his natural tan and puberty had blessed him with a late growth spurt that put him at the height of 6'1" and curves in all the right places.

He was gay, but he wasn't as feminine as most of the homosexuals at his high school had been. Although he wasn't a 'flamer' he did prefer the bottom role in a relationship; not that he had been in one since the only person he was ever interested in rejected him, and he had a behind to admire. The muscle was firm and there was just enough fat to give it a plump rounded shape that filled out his jeans in a drool-worthy, head turning, dick hardening way. A lot of the guys in high school had shamelessly flirted with him when he came out of the closet half way through senior year, just before prom. Although he was asked by a lot of guys, he went to the event stag and just hung out with his friends and slow danced with the girls his friends didn't mind letting him dance with. Hinata, Sakura and Ino had all danced with him at least to one slow song each before they spent the rest of the night with their dates as they helped him to avoid Sasuke and Suigetsu. Each of his friends were aware of the situation and they wanted to help as much as possible, but when Naruto forbade the use of violence they had to resort to just keeping the two apart. Remembering the dance, Sasuke hadn't slow danced with his boyfriend once and really only left his table when he had to claim his crown for prom king and take yearbook pictures. Other than that, Sasuke basically sat prom out and it always made Naruto wonder why he went in the first place. Before Naruto totally stopped talking to Sasuke, the raven divulged the information that he held the 'top' role of his relationship and that they never really did anything as far as sex went. At the time, the couple hadn't even seen each other naked and they had been together for more than six months.

Naruto wondered about the conversation he had the previous night with his mother concerning the Uchiha. Why had he wanted to hang out now? Sasuke had never tried to call him before now so why did he try last night? Another thing that didn't seem 'Sasuke-ish' to Naruto was that he sounded upset that Naruto moved. Although he told his mother not to tell Sasuke where he lived, it wasn't like he crossed the country and was never coming back. Sasuke also knew what college Naruto enrolled in and what time of year he would be starting in. It was one of the last conversations they had before Sasuke started school again. Nothing seemed right and for the rest of the day and throughout all of his classes, he was distracted and distraught. By the time the day was over and Naruto was back home he was ready to collapse on the couch and not care if he didn't wake up the next day. He would have done just that but the thing that stopped him…was the familiar shape of a letter folded into an envelope. The minor origami piece was propped up innocently next to a bottle of sleeping pills that Naruto hadn't recognized or remembered ever being on the table. The boy stood frozen before his brain caught up with him and he began to search the apartment. None of the windows were open and even if they were, he lived on the fifth floor of the building – climbing in and jumping out just simply didn't make any sense so he took another look all over his place. Naruto looked inside each closed door for any trace of a person having been there but he came up empty-handed before he looked at the letter on the table. Shaking, he reached his hand out to grab the white folded sheet of paper and unfolded it so that he could read it.

 _Dear my love,_

 _Why do you tease me like you do? You know it's not fair when you look at me with that stare. But now…I have to tell you something about myself. I am the jealous type…and I won't stand for anyone trying to stake their claim on you. You are mine. You belong to me, you look at only me; you smile ONLY FOR ME! I know you see me every day and look at me with the same eyes I have for you so why do you make me feel this way? Isn't my love enough for you? Do I not make you cry out for more when you dream of me? When you touch yourself in the shower, do you not imagine my hands running up and down your naked frame lovingly? If I find out that you think of another man during our special time, I will find him and kill him. But first…I would have to punish you. I don't want to punish you my love but if I have to in order to prove I love you…I will not hesitate. Don't make me hurt you…you're too beautiful to be scarred._

 _You will be mine,_

 _Your haven_

Naruto paled as he read the writing and shook again. This was the first time he had found a letter INSIDE of his home and it terrified him to a point that he couldn't speak. Sometimes they were placed in his mailbox, other times they were left under the door but the boy wasn't so naïve as to leave his door unlocked in the middle of the city so the nut-job could get inside. Tears came to his eyes as he read over the words on the page again. This person was getting serious and had now threatened him and maybe even the people he was close to. Even if the phrases used weren't directed towards him, he was sure that he was in danger now. Involving his friends would be a foolish thing to do to say the least, but he had to contact his parents about this at least. His father would be home at the end of the week and Naruto was sure the man would know what to do, even if he would go insane with worry for his son. Just as Naruto went to pick up his cell phone to call his father, it had begun to ring. The caller was unknown and for a few moments, the blood in Naruto's body ran cold. Fear gripped him, apprehension dominated his mind and every nerve in his body told him to run. The call continued and went to voicemail. After two minutes, he got another notification that a voice message had been left. He hesitated to grab the device, but reached out his hand to take it nonetheless. Dialing the number one and pressing the call button, he listened to the message left behind.

 _"_ _Hey…Naruto its Sasuke. I um…I called your house yesterday but your mom said that you moved. I thought I'd call your cell but it looks like you changed your number. I don't know what happened to it but your mom told me how to reach you and uh, yeah. Listen, I don't think I know what happened with us but I want to talk to you. There is something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now and I really think that you need to know about it now. I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the movies this weekend but it looks like you really are avoiding me like I thought you've been for the past few months. Call me back when you get this, if you have the time. The number for my phone hasn't changed I'm just using my house phone right now so it's probably why you didn't answer. Um, so yeah…call me. Again it's Sasuke. Bye. Oh but before that, I have to say happy belated birthday…I'm sorry we couldn't keep up our tradition this year, but I hope you'll call."_

Relief flooded through him at the sound of Sasuke's voice and his body visibly relaxed. A single tear dropped from his left eye and onto the back of his hand that was gripping the table. Letting out a shaky breath, Naruto flopped onto the couch and began to talk to himself out loud.

"What should I be doing? I thought I was in a big enough mess with the whole Sasuke situation but now this…stalker…person is making my life so much worse. What do they want? Are they watching me now? Should I call the police and ask for their help? But what the heck can they do when I have no idea what the hell is going on?! Okay, keep your head Uzumaki, just think things through. I got the first letter two months ago, after I stopped talking to Sasuke. I got the second one two weeks later and they've been coming nearly every week since then. I've gotten no pictures of myself to show that they're following me but the person knows what I look like and all of my hobbies. Not to mention that they know where I live and where I go to school. Apparently, I see them every day so I just have to go through all of the people I see on a daily basis! But I just started college…so I've only had two days with all of my classmates. It can't be any of them; I just met them and I won't know all of them for at least another two weeks. That leaves…people from high school and my work. But I only worked four days a week before now and I interact with none of my colleagues outside of work. So then this guy must be from school. God this is giving me such a headache."

Looking at the letter again and then glancing at the phone in his hand, Naruto contemplated calling the cops and reporting a possible break-in to at least get them here. Just as Naruto unlocked his phone to dial 9-1-1, it began to ring again. The picture of Shikamaru popped up on his screen and he sighed in relief, answered the phone and greeted the other boy from his class.

"You're really troublesome you know that?" Shikamaru droned.

"Yeah, well I've been told worse. So what's up? Is something happening?"

"No, Asuma-sensei told me to call you and tell you that you left your notebooks on his desk today. I have them since he told me to give them back to you."

"Oh, seriously? I thought my backpack felt lighter for some reason, I'm sorry. Thanks for telling me, I'll get them first thing tomorrow morning."

"I don't like mornings, they're such a drag. Just get them before his class on Friday."

"Don't I need them for the homework he gave us this week?"

"Yeah, I guess you do."

"So then I have to get them from you!"

"No need to yell, it's troublesome but I'm actually standing in the lobby of your apartment building."

"Wait, what?! How do you know where I live?! Better yet, if you were standing down in the lobby why did you tell me to get them on Friday?!"

"It was a drag but Asuma-sensei pulled your school file and gave me the address. He told me to give them back to you, so he thought it was cool if he gave it to me."

"Shikamaru…can anyone access those records?"

"No, they're only available to the staff and the dean. Emergency contact stuff is given to the nurse but they can't give addresses to just anyone."

"So why'd you come to my place if it's such a drag then?"

"I don't live too far from here. This is troublesome can you just let me in your unit? I don't want to stand here when I could be sitting on your couch."

"Oh, God yeah I'm sorry. I'll buzz you up. The number is 509 on the fifth floor. The nameplate says Namikaze, but it's me so don't worry."

"What a drag. I'm on my way up, just open the door."

Shikamaru ended the call and Naruto walked over to the intercom to let his friend through the lobby doors. If it was after a certain time of night, the outside doors lock automatically and you had to have a tenant or the night manager let you in. Any time before midnight though you only had to buzz someone in through the lobby doors that unlocked the hallway to the mailboxes and the areas for the elevators and stairs. All of the tenants had keys to each door but visitors didn't have the same privilege. Security in this building was tight and it was the reason his parents had chosen it for him since he was living in the middle of the city and they were paranoid about their baby being mugged or robbed. Five minutes later there was a knock on the door and Naruto rushed to let the spiky-haired boy inside his abode.

"Here are the notebooks."

"Thanks so much, I owe you one."

"You can call it even if you lend me your couch for the night. I'm too tired to walk back home and it's already past nine thirty."

"Sure, um, it's no problem. I'll just get you a blanket and pillow and we'll be all good."

"No need for all that, I'm fine with just my clothes and the cushions."

"Are you sure? I have plenty of extra stuff you can-"

"Why were you spacing out in class?"

Naruto was mildly shocked that the lazy man had noticed his behavior during the course of the day but couldn't really say he was surprised. Shikamaru wasn't the type of person to strike him as 'observant' but the guy was in the field of psychology for a reason; and it seemed that he was really going to be good at it too. Naruto could relate to Shikamaru a little, since the spiky haired boy opened up to him a bit during their first day. They were both coming from high school, away from their usual friends and family and tackling a new part of their lives. Naruto bonded with the other boy quickly and Shikamaru must have felt the same way – even if they only knew each other for two days. So he guessed for Shikamaru, it was only natural to focus on the only other person you associated with in class.

"Today in class…you didn't ask as many questions as yesterday and you had this look on your face. It just seemed like you weren't there."

"I had some…things going on yesterday."

"Do these 'things' involve the stuff on the table?"

Naruto looked to where Shikamaru was pointing and noticed that he completely forgot to hide the letter and the sleeping pills that had come with it. Naruto paled a little and Shikamaru's eyes narrowed a bit; the blonde knew he was studying him. The two were in psychology for a reason and it seemed that Shikamaru would have no problem in their psycho-analysis classes next week. The class was all about reading and studying body language and facial expressions and then dissecting what each movement meant. Naruto already knew that he was going to have some trouble in that course due to the fact that he wore his emotions on his sleeve and he was just an open book in general. The only thing that would earn him a decent grade in the class was going to be his acting skills and maybe if he got a merciful teacher.

"I'm not one to judge man…but you don't strike me as the type to use sleeping pills or do origami."

"The pills aren't mine. They came with the letter."

"You got a letter…with sleeping pills?"

"Technically…I got eight letters…and each with something different in them."

"From your partner or someone else?"

"Um…I don't know."

"Can I read it?"

"Knock yourself out."

The pineapple head took the letter and scanned over it quickly while Naruto read his face to gauge his reaction. As the blonde figured, the other boy looked confused and seemed to be thinking about multiple things at once.

"Have you gotten others like this one?"

"That's the first one that's gotten sexual or really harmful."

"Can you think of anyone who would do this?"

"Only four people from my high school, my parents and grandparents and now you know where I live. The letters only come here and I haven't had time to tell anyone else about this place."

"When did you get this one?"

"I found it on my table next to the sleeping pills three hours ago."

"You mean you opened it at the table right?"

"No. I found it on the table. And before you ask, yes I had my door locked and I checked the whole place before I read it."

"So this guy broke into your apartment, left you a letter and left? Was anything missing?"

"I haven't checked if anything was gone or not, I was more freaked out that someone had been here and left me that message. The only thing that's not here that's usually here is my cat, Kyuubi. I had to leave him at my parent's house for a couple of days since he just got fixed and my mom is on vacation to take care of him. It would have been a little hard for me to watch him, what with the semester starting and all."

"How long have you been getting these?"

"Two months. They started after I stopped talking to my…friend."

"Does this 'friend' have anything to do with this?"

"He wouldn't do this, if that's what you're asking me."

"Huh…and you can't think of anything that was happening at the time it started?"

"It was summer vacation and I stopped talking to my friend; that's all that happened."

"Have you told anyone about these? This is serious stuff, Naruto."

"Do you know if they would have been able to do anything, Shikamaru? I've thought it through and there's nothing the police can do right now. My friends would only get worried and do more harm than good and my parents would move me to another country to keep me safe!"

"Have you thought about buying cameras?"

"I did but I don't know how to set them up to have them actually be of use."

"I may not look it, or seem like the type to do physical work, but I worked as a tech expert and computer programmer in my old mans' office over the summer. I know how to set up cameras and get them to work as well."

"If you already worked as a computer programmer and some sort of tech expert, why the hell are you in college?!"

"Like I told you; being a psychiatrist is the only job that pays well and has a couch."

"You do know that the couch is for the clients, right?"

"Maybe for you it is."

"So are you saying you're willing to help me?"

"Yeah…I like you. I can tell you're a good guy by looking at you."

"If you can help me, I'll owe you for the rest of my life."

"Don't mention it. You actually remind me of someone a friend of mine spoke about over the summer. He always went on and on about how much he missed the guy and that he should have told him his feelings before they graduated."

"Sounds like how I was when I stopped talking to my friend."

"Yeah well, Sasuke was never the best with conveying how he felt towards other people."

"Wait a minute; Sasuke? As in Sasuke Uchiha?"

"You know him?"

"He's the guy I stopped talking to."

"So then you're the guy he was talking about? I worked at Uchiha Industries with my old man over the summer with Sasuke after his classes let out most days. And all he seemed to do was work and mope about how his best friend was avoiding him. Care to tell me why my summer break was filled with constant headaches and no sleep?"

"It's a pretty long and, as you would say, troublesome story."

"I'm not going anywhere tonight and dead-time isn't for another hour."

"First of all, I have to tell you that I'm gay and that I have been in love with the bastard for the better part of six years. I told Sasuke that I was gay before our senior year started and he told me he was as well and had a crush on another boy in our class. When that summer ended, they started going out and I didn't really take it well. Any time I hung out with Sasuke after that, his boyfriend would be with us and I just couldn't handle it anymore. Gradually, I stopping going places with them and as soon as we tossed our graduation caps, I stopped talking to him altogether. He never called me or tried to hang out with me since then, until last night. He called my house and asked if I wanted to go to the movies with him this weekend since he had some free time, but he didn't know that I moved. My mom told me that he sounded pretty upset about it and she asked me if she could tell him where I lived. I told her I didn't want him knowing and to tell him that I was busy so I couldn't go with him. Then a little while ago, after I found the letter, he called my cell and asked me to call him. I changed my number before I started school because of the stalker person, but I guess mom gave it to Sasuke since I didn't tell her I didn't want him to have it."

"Huh…something doesn't seem right with what you just told me."

"And what would that be?"

"You said that Sasuke has a boyfriend right?"

"Yeah, they've been together for almost a year now."

"Then why did Sasuke tell me that he's been single all his life?"

"He said what?"

"One time when we were working, his brother came in and told him that someone was asking if he had heard from you yet. I asked him if it was his boyfriend asking, jokingly, and he got this look in his eyes like he was upset or something and just said that he's been single all his life. He mumbled something and I let it go."

"Well he must have lied to you; he's been with Suigetsu since the beginning of our senior year."

"You wouldn't be talking about Suigetsu Hozuki would you?"

"Let me guess; you know him from work."

"No, he's going out with a girl I know from my high school. Her name is Tayuya and they've been together for three years. Hell he's engaged to her."

Naruto slumped down onto the floor, all the while trying to process all of the information Shikamaru had given him. Why would Sasuke fake a relationship with Suigetsu? Didn't Sasuke say that he had a crush on the boy? None of it made any sense to Naruto; the two boys seemed so happy with each other! Surely they couldn't have faked the entire thing for no reason, but Naruto's brain didn't seem to want to function at the moment. Shikamaru took pity on him and put a hand on his friend's shoulder in a small gesture of comfort.

"We'll think about that later; for now we've got to focus on getting your stalker taken care of. We don't have class tomorrow so why don't we go to the tech store and get some cameras to put up in your apartment. After that's done, we can go to the police and see what help they can give you okay?"

"Sure…sounds fine."

"I don't know about you but I'm bushed. Wanna call it a night and hit the hay?"

"Yeah. The bathroom is the first door on the right if you need to use it in the middle of the night. My room is at the end of the hall, if you need me."

"I don't think I will but thanks for the 'tour'. Get some sleep, as troublesome as it is we have a long, busy day tomorrow."

"I really appreciate your help Shikamaru…I can't thank you enough."

"Don't mention it. And you can trust me not to spill my guts to Sasuke about what you just told me. I still have to go to work with my old man every other weekend so I'm bound to see him some time."

"I trust you enough to know you'll keep your word. Night, buddy. Help yourself to the fridge if you wake up before I do."

"It's not likely that'll happen, but if it does I will. Night."

Feeling safer than being alone after the strange break-in, Naruto headed off to bed with a small smile on his face. Undressing and crawling under the covers, Naruto smashed his face into the pillow and proceeded to pass out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Lookie what I got, a new chapter for all of you! Now this one is told from Sasuke's perspective on thing and it jumps around a little in the 'timeline' but I think it's pretty easy for you to follow. This first takes place after Sasuke just called Naruto from the last chapter and then he flashes back to when he started dating Suigetsu. Trust me, this explains a lot of the story so if you have questions, they'll be answered here. Next we get some info on how Sasuke spent his time before and after Naruto started avoiding him, then we go to when he called Naruto's house. I really hope that this makes some sort of sense but I will try to explain it in better detail if you have questions in your reviews.**

Sasuke heaved a sigh as he threw down his home phone and sank into the back of the couch. The frown on his face marred his otherwise perfect looks and anyone who bothered to take a look at him could tell he was upset. What the raven had once thought was a brilliant idea to win his blonde best friends affections was turning out to be his own demise. The idea of being in a relationship to make the boy jealous was correct in theory but the execution of it backfired on him royally. It had started out okay at first. When Naruto had confessed that he was homosexual, Sasuke had some major trouble containing his joy. Being an Uchiha though, he knew how to school his facial expressions in order to suppress any 'overwhelming' emotions and had only come across mildly pleased that his best friend was gay. Sasuke had had a crush on the other boy since he was thirteen and entered puberty but he had no clue how the other felt. But since Naruto had confessed and his hopes were coming true, he also confessed that he was gay. That was where things turned south for Sasuke. In his moment of happiness, his mind had formulated a plan to see if the blonde was in love with him or not. Foolishly, he had told Naruto that he had a crush on another boy in their class named Suigetsu. Looking back on that day, Sasuke realized that Naruto's mood had darkened somewhat and that he didn't speak as confidently as he normally did. Sasuke intended to see if Naruto would be jealous if he were in a relationship with somebody else. In truth, he knew that Suigetsu was already in a committed relationship with some girl named Tayuya from the school he transferred from, but Sasuke and he had grown to be loose friends in the span of their junior year. It was enough to say that they tolerated each other, but also enough to give false evidence that Sasuke may have romantic interests to the 'untrained Uzumaki eye' as Naruto called it. He knew that the other boy wouldn't mind faking a relationship with him; Suigetsu would just find the whole thing amusing and would jump at the chance for entertainment. When Sasuke left Naruto that day, he had gone home on cloud nine and called his other friend immediately.

"Suigetsu, it's me. I have a huge favor to ask you. If it works, then I'll be the best man at your wedding like you keep bugging me to be."

"Well if that's going to be the reward, sure. What's the favor?"

"You know Naruto from class 2-B? The blonde I told you I was head over heels for?"

"Yeah, what about him? He finally tell you he loved you back?"

"Not quite, but he did tell me earlier today that he is, in fact, gay."

"Okay congratulations, but what's this have to do with me?"

"I want you to pretend to be my boyfriend when senior year starts. If he gets jealous, then I'll know he loves me back and I'll be your best man. If doesn't…I haven't thought ahead that far but I'll somehow make him fall in love with me. And I'll help you propose to Tayuya."

"This sounds interesting. And either way I can't lose. Alright, I'm in; but how convincing do you want us to be? I'm sure you don't want to chase him away if we're being too serious but I'm also pretty sure you don't want him to think it's fake."

"The furthest I want this to go would be holding hands in public and MAYBE a kiss on the cheek, but I don't want to do anything more than that. All of the real stuff will be saved for Naruto. Plus you're straight as an arrow, not that anyone in the school knows, and you're probably uncomfortable with that sort of stuff."

"So what will we have to do then?"

"We'll have to invite Naruto to go along with us on a few 'dates' and we'll see what his reactions are. Don't lay it on thick, but remember that I'm going to be the top in the relationship."

"I've got no problem with that, but what about Tayuya? I do still want to go out with her, you know."

"We can tell her about the plan; hell she may even be willing to help us. But are you in or out?"

"I already told you I was in. This is all going to happen at the beginning of this year right? How long do you want it to last?"

"If…if Naruto hasn't said or done anything by the end of the year, we can call it quits. I'm hopeful that it won't take that long and that by prom he'll be my boyfriend but I don't know right now. Either way, it's only for eight or nine months. After that, you won't have to speak of this again."

The plan seemed to be so foolproof, but Sasuke didn't count on Naruto being so supportive of the relationship between him and Suigetsu, like he had promised to be. Admittedly, it was a stupid plan to try and make the blonde jealous within a year because if it was going to work, Naruto would have done something in the first three months. The blonde was more of a 'take matters into my own hands' kind of guy rather than just 'let the fates decide' on things. If Naruto wanted to be with Sasuke, then he would be with Sasuke; no questions, doubts or complaints about it. But Naruto had promised Sasuke when he came out of the closet that any relationship Sasuke got himself involved in, he would have the blonde's support one-hundred and ten percent. And the one thing about Naruto that both annoyed and pleased Sasuke was that Naruto ALWAYS kept his promises.

As more time went on, Sasuke had started to think that Naruto really didn't feel anything towards him. But Suigetsu had told him that it was almost obvious that the blonde felt the same way as Sasuke did. Half way through that year, Naruto had told the entire school he was gay, looking at Sasuke all the while and Sasuke was over-the-moon about the information now being public. However, Sasuke was more jealous than anyone when many of the guys in their year had asked Naruto to prom. It became even more of an issue when that transfer student who looked eerily similar to him, Sai Yamato, came. Even though they shared many physical traits, Sasuke knew he was much better looking but the confidence Sasuke had about Naruto's love interest in him was taxed heavily. Sai had become closer to Naruto while the time Sasuke got to spend with the blonde was dwindling fast. Over the course of the year, any time that they hung out it was always with Suigetsu on one of their fake dates, and Naruto was starting to distance himself more and more. Any time Sasuke wanted to be with Naruto by himself, Naruto had either been too busy with work or he wanted either Sakura or one of his other friends to come along. Spending time with JUST Naruto was beginning to become a rare thing and Sasuke didn't like that idea very much. During the course of prom night, Naruto had done everything he could to keep himself away from Sasuke and Suigetsu via dancing with his friends and slow dancing with his friends' girlfriends. Sasuke had begun to realize then that the plan was backfiring, but like a fool he just gave Naruto some space. Any time Naruto wasn't involved, Sasuke and Suigetsu didn't hang out unless it was to study. His older brother, Itachi, and his parents were suspicious of his behavior, but didn't question it until graduation day when Naruto refused to take any pictures with Sasuke in their caps and gowns for their scrapbooks. After that, the agreement with Suigetsu to end the fake relationship was fulfilled and Sasuke had no choice but to prepare for college.

Sasuke was miserable the entire summer and the only two weeks he had off for vacation before school started again were just hell for him. Sasuke kept expecting Naruto to call him or text or something just to keep him updated with things, but he was beyond disappointed when he received nothing. When college began it only served to add to the pain he was feeling. Akatsuki University offered one of the best psychology courses in the country and Naruto had planned on going with him to the institution since the military academy couldn't accept him. The last conversation they had before the silence revealed that Naruto intended to enroll in Konoha Academy, on the other side of the city in the fall since he had been accepted into the later program. Sasuke didn't have the words to describe his heartbreak at the news and his mother and older brother could only comfort him so much. His father, being friends with Naruto's father, tried to ask why Naruto was suddenly interested in another college but Minato either didn't know and couldn't answer, or was hiding the real reason and refused to answer.

The entire summer went by in misery and loneliness and as a result Sasuke closed himself off from the rest of the people he shared his studies with. Aside from his teachers and the people he was forced to partner up with for projects, the only other person he spoke to was a boy named Jugo Taka. He was grossly misunderstood since he was much larger body structure-wise and he had trouble controlling his temper half the time, but the guy opened up around Sasuke. But not even he was enough to make Sasuke forget about the pain in his chest any time he thought of Naruto. All Sasuke did now was work, study and his homework and his mother was beginning to worry. At work, one of his father's employees asked to have his son work with him as a tech expert and Sasuke often found himself working with the pineapple-headed boy. Just before the other boy had to leave for the fall to begin his own schooling, Itachi had interrupted him and gave him a message from Suigetsu, who had moved in with his girlfriend right after graduation. They both now lived on the other side of town, but not the side Naruto went to school in, so hearing from his friend wasn't a regular thing anymore. Suigetsu had felt horrible for being a part of the reason he and Naruto were no longer speaking to each other, but he promised that if he ever saw the blonde again he would make things right.

"Little brother, your friend Suigetsu has a message for you."

"Whatever it is, it can wait until I'm off work, can't it?"

"He's asking if you've heard from 'him' yet."

Sasuke's heart clenched and his jaw tightened at the subtle mention of his best friends' status. Sasuke shook his head and Itachi left it at that. The other boy, Shikamaru he had come to learn, only looked at him calculatingly and sighed lightly.

"Was that a message from your jealous boyfriend or something? Having some relationship issues?"

"In a manner of speaking, yeah I am. But that wasn't from my boyfriend. I've been single all my life. Although if I hadn't screwed everything up I wouldn't be right now," Sasuke mumbled the last part.

Finally having enough of the silent treatment though, Sasuke decided to stop wallowing in his own self-pity and do something to fix his relationship with Naruto before the damage was permanent. Sasuke would come clean about everything and make it up to Naruto for everything he had put him through. Itachi had told him that Suigetsu was right and that Naruto was, in fact, in love with him since his boyfriend Deidara was friends with Naruto's cousin Nagato. Sasuke usually had Fridays off from work and got out of his last class by two o'clock so he had plenty of time in the afternoon to meet up with Naruto and work things out between them. He was going to tell Naruto he loved him and then was going to spend the rest of his life proving how sorry he was for making Naruto think that he had to hide his feelings because of a mistake the raven had foolishly made. If Sasuke remembered correctly, Naruto shouldn't have started his classes until the following week so he thought that he had plenty of time to see his friend and talk with him. Plus he wanted to desperately wish him a belated 'happy birthday' since during the silence neither boy had celebrated like they had in the past with each other. It was part of why Sasuke now wanted to fix things so desperately. Ever since the boys were three years old, they had spent the night at each other's houses, ate cake, played video games, and stayed up late watching movies on their birthdays. Sasuke's birthday would involve some kind of pool party where Naruto's birthday entailed some sort of Halloween themed event at Kushina's restaurant, even though the holiday was at the end of the month. When they had skipped the tradition this year Sasuke, along with the rest of his family, was crushed. Shaking his head of the memory, he picked up the phone to make the call.

When Sasuke finally reached the Uzumaki-Namikaze house though, he didn't get the news he wanted to hear.

"Hello, this is Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze speaking. May I ask who is calling?"

"Hello, Mrs. Namikaze, its Sasuke."

"Oh hi dear, how are you?! I heard from Mikoto-chan that you were almost finished with your first semester at Akatsuki University! How is everything going so far; do you like it?"

"Things are…okay for right now. I'm doing well in my studies."

"And are you making any new friends? I know that going into college can be very stressful, especially if you don't connect with anybody."

"Yes, well, things are okay for now. Anyway I was calling to see if Naruto wanted to come to the movies with me this Friday. I don't have work that day and I get out of classes early, so could I talk to him, please?"

"Oh…you mean he didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Sasuke dear, Naruto moved out two months ago. Today was his first day of classes."

Sasuke felt his heart stop and fought to keep his hands from shaking. He was choking back tears and struggled to breath for a few moments.

"He…moved?"

"Yes dear, Minato and I bought the apartment for him as a college present and he moved in almost immediately."

"Can you…can you tell me where he lives?"

"Well…I don't know what happened between the two of you exactly, but I'll have to talk to Naruto before I give away his address. Would that be okay with you? I'll give him a call and I'll call you right back okay?" The woman sounded apologetic and genuinely concerned for Sasuke.

"Yes…that'll be fine. I'm sorry to have bothered you," Sasuke muttered into the phone dejectedly.

"Sasuke, don't hang up yet."

"Yes, Kushina-san?"

"Naruto told us that you were seeing someone in school. How is that going?"

"It's…um…."

"It was faked wasn't it?"

"Where did you get that idea?"

"I'm a mother, Sasuke. Since you and Naruto are practically brothers, I know how each of you thinks. So was it all fake then?"

"If I say 'yes' what will you do?"

"I don't know why you would fake a relationship but I do know that my son was very hurt by it. Just know that although it hurt him, he still cares for you. My boy can be stubborn and hardheaded just like me, but just try to explain everything to him and things will be okay."

"What if he doesn't want to see me? He seems to be avoiding me and I don't really understand why."

"Give him time, Sasuke. I'm sure that he'll come around eventually; you two just need to talk things out. His classes end at seven tonight so I'll try to call you before midnight. I want to give him some time to get some studying done before I call him. Is that alright?"

"Yes, it'll be fine. I have a later class tomorrow so I can stay up for a while. I hope to hear from you soon."

"Alright then, I'll talk to you in a little while. Bye-bye for now Sasuke."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Namikaze."

When Kushina had called him back and told him that Naruto wouldn't let her tell him his address, Sasuke couldn't hold back his tears anymore. Rushing past his mother and trying to reach the safety of his room, he hurried to lock the door and drag himself to his bed. The raven cried for hours and it was all he could do to crawl in bed and wrap himself in his blankets to try and ease the pain. His mother had tried to ask him what was wrong and if he needed anything but all he did was tell her to go away and that he was fine. Mikoto Uchiha had her doubts but she let her little prince alone for the time being and went to seek out her husbands' advice. Coming up to the door of the mans' study, she knocked three times and waited until she heard a strong, but muffled, 'come in.' The woman opened the door to see her husband lifting his head up from the packet of documents he was reading and pushing his laptop aside to focus on his wife.

At the, still young, age of forty six, Fugaku Uchiha was the living image of a strong, successful business man and proud father. Tall and handsome, his dark eyes could strike fear into his rivals' hearts but also provide a soft comfort to his wife and sons. His hair was beginning to grey a little around the temples but it still maintained its dark chocolate brown color and framed his handsome face quite nicely. Mikoto was a very lucky woman to have married such an attractive man, but she also knew that he was a big softie when it came to his children. He tried to be fair to each of his sons, but was harder on Sasuke when he was younger. He tried to push Sasuke to be better than his brother, which was a little unfair since Itachi had the upper hand when it came to academics seeing as his IQ was above 180. When Fugaku learned that although Itachi was smart he didn't really have the drive to do sports, he tried to urge Sasuke to play football, baseball, basketball, track and field, or swimming. Sasuke definitely had the stamina for everything his father wanted him to participate in, but he chose to join the basketball and swim teams. Fugaku never questioned out loud why his boy would join the teams but he suspected that it had something to do with Naruto being in love with the two sports. His father accepted and respected his sons' wishes and he was proud to say that his son excelled all of his expectations. His basketball playing had earned him a sports scholarship along with his high honors grades, but Fugaku was not blind when it came to his boys' happiness.

All throughout his senior year, Sasuke was distant and had begun to show signs of depression closer to the end of it. His wife had informed him that Sasuke had fallen in love with his best friend, Naruto, and that the blonde was slowly distancing himself from Sasuke. Fugaku never figured out why the change had occurred in the blonde until his boy graduated and he saw his son and another boy together while Naruto looked at them in pain. It had instantly clicked in his mind that his son wanted to make the blonde jealous and admit that he loved him back, but from what he saw the plan hadn't gone as he had hoped. Since that day, no one in the family had heard from the blonde ball of sunshine and they all worried for Sasuke. Itachi would silently fuss over his precious baby brother and often found himself in more contact with his boyfriend Deidara in order to receive updates on the Uzumaki child. Itachi thought of the blonde as a little brother as well, but ultimately thought that he would make the perfect partner for his sibling. Getting information on Naruto now however was proving to be difficult, even for Deidara since he was close to Nagato. Fugaku, although worried for his younger son, could only look on in sympathy and mild pity. Sasuke had made the bed and now he had to sleep in it. If Sasuke would ask for assistance to remedy the situation however, the whole Uchiha family would stop everything to help him. Focusing his attention on his wife he got up from his desk and went to embrace the woman he loved.

"Mikoto dear, what's wrong? You look like you're about to cry."

"Fugaku, I don't know what to do anymore. Sasuke won't come out of his room but I can hear him crying! He won't tell me what's wrong and he won't let me in!"

"Do you know what he was doing before he locked himself in his room?"

"He got a call from Kushina-chan but that's all I know."

"It must have something to do with Naruto then."

"What could have been so bad to have our baby sobbing in agony, honey? I can only think that Naruto is hurt and if he was we would have known about it by now."

"I'll give Minato a call and see what's going on. His business trip should be over by the end of the week, but I have the number of his hotel in case of emergencies."

"Don't you think Kushina-chan would know more about it that Minato-kun?"

"I'll call Minato and see what he knows, so why don't you call Kushina-san and ask her about this. In the meantime, I think that Itachi will have more luck talking to Sasuke than we will."

"Itachi is out of town on a business trip and won't be back until later tonight. Sasuke's already skipped dinner and I'm afraid our snow angel won't eat!"

For as long as they had remembered, Fugaku and Mikoto had always referred to Sasuke as 'snow angel' and Itachi as 'moon baby.' Like his mother, Sasuke was pale and had jet black hair and eyes. As he grew older, his beauty had only developed more and more until he was almost a hauntingly handsome being. He had gained the attentions and affections of every girl in his high school and middle school as well as the girls in his college courses. The boys he had known hadn't been spared either, but more so than not they were jealous that he got all the girls and they didn't. If they didn't hate him or admire him, they wanted to be him. Itachi was also devastatingly good-looking and had broken more than a few hundred hearts in his school days. Bangs that hung down to his chin, long silky hair that was kept tied back into a low pony tail, jet black eyes that froze anyone who looked into them, and a facial structure that would make any Greek God or Goddess envious, he glowed with handsomeness and superiority. Itachi was more gentle and sociable than Sasuke however, so he was always making deals and earning contracts left and right when it came to the company. Itachi didn't want his little brother to feel inferior however, so Itachi only took on the intermediate clients and business deals. Fugaku still handled most of the important clientele but they both wanted to give Sasuke the chance to prove that he could make it in the corporate world when he graduated. Six years though was a long way off, but the younger raven showed much talent and promise already. If he got things straightened out with Naruto, things would only improve.


	4. Chapter 4

**So nobody has any idea how much I'm hurting right now because one of my favorite artists on DA left the SasuNaru community. I'm hurt and a little broken but there is nothing I can do but support her decision and wish her the best in whatever she wants to do. It's just such a big loss since she was the main reason I started posting my fanfictions in the first place. Her place in the SasuNaru fandom was so important to everybody and now it's just a matter of time until the whole thing just...dies. I'm not going to let that happen to me, these two are too damn important to me! Now having said that...I AM SO HORRIBLE TO SASUKE! Hopefully this fanfiction gets your attention without having you hate the characters that I write about that. Well I own nothing but the plot and hopefully your attention. Everything else belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and other affiliations that claim legal rights to the Naruto franchise.**

Neither Mikoto nor Fugaku were surprised to learn their son was gay, but instead they encouraged him to develop a strong, lasting relationship. They were disappointed to learn that he had stayed single throughout all of high school though and when they learned of the fake boyfriend thing, they couldn't say they were surprised. Sasuke grew up hearing about how his parents had met in junior high school, became friends first and the story of how they started dating more than a few hundred times. Both of the older Uchiha's could only figure that he got the idea from them to do the 'fake relationship' so they felt sort of guilty and a tad regretful that they had told their children the story. Fugaku had done the same thing with Mikoto when they were in college but Mikoto was not someone to let anything slip by her. Naruto was a lot like her in that aspect, even though there was no relation, so at first they hadn't understood why the plan had failed. However, they hadn't taken into account that he took after both Kushina AND Minato.

Minato was a sweet person who would give one-hundred and twenty percent of his being to something he believed in or someone who was in need, but he was also selfless to a certain degree. Kushina had done most of the chasing when the two had been in school together, but Minato was almost adamant to just stay friends. When Kushina flat out told him she loved him and to choose to be with her or not was the only time Minato revealed that he too had been in love with her. When Kushina asked why he never said or did anything, he told her it was because a friend of his also had a crush on her but that Minato didn't want to get in the way. Naruto followed in his father's footsteps when it came to dating it seemed, but Naruto was more open with certain feelings. Sasuke however, had never been good when it came to his own feelings and therefore had not known that he just needed to tell Naruto how he felt from the beginning, which is what Fugaku did before he plotted to make Mikoto insanely jealous. He only did the fake girlfriend ploy after Mikoto rejected him the first time, thinking that she was just trying to stay friends with him but he wanted to be something more. Mikoto then saw the man who had said he loved her with someone else and spent weeks wondering how he had changed his mind so fast. When she finally realized her own feelings, she went up to Fugaku's fake girlfriend and cat fought with her for a good hour before Fugaku finally spilled his guts and said everything was fake. When Sasuke told his mother and father that he told Naruto he was gay, they had asked him if he confessed to Naruto his feelings and if Naruto returned them or rejected them. Since Sasuke didn't tell Naruto about his love for him, the older Uchihas could only shake their heads and lecture their son about how to deal with his emotions better and just confess to Naruto. Either that or just stay single and hope that Naruto confessed first.

After they both made the calls to Minato and Kushina respectively, the Uchiha parents couldn't help but feel sorry for their son at the news. It wasn't fair to either of the boys that Naruto was avoiding Sasuke but Sasuke wasn't exactly innocent in the situation. Although he had not known Naruto was in love with him, as they now did, he should have been honest from the start instead of attempting to force Naruto to admit his feelings. If things had gone the way Sasuke wanted and Naruto did indeed confess it may have turned out this way anyway. Naruto was always a feisty being and tended to follow his feelings more than his thoughts. If Naruto had been tricked into telling Sasuke just how he felt, the blonde may have gotten angry and avoided Sasuke out of spite rather than regret or self-protection like Minato had claimed he was doing. If their son would have just been honest, they wouldn't have wasted a year that could have been spent in utter bliss and happiness. Mikoto could only hope that she and Kushina could bring the boys to their senses before it was all too late.

After his parents had finally coaxed him out of his room Sasuke had come clean about everything he had done his senior year. Of course, the relationship was obvious but he explained how Naruto went along with them on dates and how Sasuke made them all walk together for classes. He even explained how he and Suigetsu would hold hands in public or peck each other's cheeks in front of the blonde. Sasuke even went into detail about the night of prom where he basically just sat and watched Naruto avoid him. Now that they had the whole picture, not that they told Sasuke that Naruto had feelings for him as well, they decided to convene with Naruto's parents to try and help the boys. With their school schedules it wasn't going to be easy but they could only hope that Sasuke's semester break and the upcoming holiday would prove to work in their favor. Usually the Uchiha family would spend some time with the Namikaze family every other holiday and this Halloween just so happened to be their time to spend with the feisty bunch. While Sasuke was at school however, they had discovered that Minato and Kushina would be going to Naruto's new apartment for most of the day since Naruto had school the next day and didn't want to make the commute. Plus the boy wanted his kitten back desperately. Kushina had told them that they were more than welcome to join them but reminded them that Naruto still didn't want Sasuke to know where he lived for some reason. So if the Uchiha family wanted to see Naruto, they had to leave Sasuke.

Sasuke was too lost in his head to even think about the holiday though. He himself was trying to think of a way to see Naruto. Calling him clearly hadn't worked since he not only changed his number but never called him back. Since Kushina refused to give up Naruto's address, surprising him with a visit was out of the question as well. If he was so inclined he could consult the public housing department or contact Konoha Academy to get his location but it was too much of a hassle since he wasn't family. Konoha Academy was known for outstanding education courses but above all having some of the tightest student security measures known to man. They were a diverse school but most of the courses centered around the justice and public safety systems. Sasuke was sure Naruto was enrolled in the criminal psychology class even though he only needed a normal psychology degree to practice in the field. After Naruto was finished with college, he planned to at least work with the military as a sort of counselor or therapist, or work with the FBI as a criminal profiler. Sasuke admired that of the blonde and was a major reason he loved him. Sasuke loved the fact that Naruto wanted to help people but he feared for him as well. If Naruto got into the profiling business he would see things that would potentially endanger his life and Sasuke didn't want that. But right now was not the time to be thinking about that. Right now, he needed to set things straight with the blonde and make sure that he understood his feelings before it was too late. Coming into his first class that Wednesday, Sasuke took his seat by Jugo and proceeded to do something he thought he never would. Mope and disregard anything his professor was saying. Jugo took notice of this and tapped on the raven's shoulder to get his attention.

"Is something wrong, Sasuke?"

"Naruto."

"Oh, I see. Have you thought of anything yet?"

"No."

"You said you would call him, right? Did you?"

"Yes, and he ignored me."

"I would keep calling him."

"Then he'll think I'm being annoying."

"It's better than ignoring you."

"Even if he would answer once, he would just call me a teme, tell me to leave him alone and hang up. He's been that way since kindergarten so I can only expect it to happen that way."

"At least he would answer you."

"And what would you have me do if he does?"

"Start hysterically explaining yourself until he's so confused he has no choice but to hear you out?"

"I'm an Uchiha; we don't do anything hysterically."

"Is being an Uchiha better than having Naruto talking to you?"

"You've made your point."

"I assume you still aren't going to do it though."

"Damn right."

"What other option do you have at this point though?"

"I know where he goes to school. I can ask the dean there what classes Naruto is taking and just wait for him outside of the school."

"Wouldn't he think you were stalking him then?"

"That's what's holding me back from doing it."

"You don't want him to think ill of you."

"I don't want him to think I'm obsessed with him to a point that I'd follow him everywhere he goes. I love him; I don't want to give him more of a reason to push me away if he thought I was stalking him."

"Do you think he knows you love him?"

"Not a chance. He still must think I'm with Suigetsu even though the whole thing was faked."

"What about this Suigetsu person? Is he willing to help fix the situation?"

"He moved with his fiancé to the other side of the city – even further from Naruto than I am apparently. He wants to help but he knows that there is really nothing he can do. Plus I don't know how Naruto would treat him; either better or worse than he's treating me."

"Either way, if I knew I could help I would."

"I know, Jugo."

"Let's just get through the week and see how things play out. If you can't think of anything by then I'll ask some of my friends for their help if you want me to."

Friday came and Sasuke was just as miserable as he had been earlier that week. He went to school, came home and slept. His father gave him off work every Friday so that he could concentrate on his studies and hopefully develop a social life. Saturday however would see him back to work and then Sundays were always open to him for a rest day and to complete school work. Sasuke was now lounging in his room making a list of things he could do to try and get Naruto to communicate some way with him again. After three hours of thinking of scenarios and then scribbling them off the list in frustration, the raven flopped back onto his bed and nearly let out a scream. There was a knock on his door and he dashed across the room to almost rip the door off its hinges. Itachi was on the other side looking at his little brother with a stone face and calculating eyes.

"What do you want Itachi?"

"Mother says that dinner will be ready in about half an hour. Before that though, I want you to walk with me for a bit."

"Not now, aniki, I'm not in the mood and I have better things to do."

"If you're talking about coming up with ways to talk to Naruto again and failing at them, then I suggest you take a break and just do as I say."

"How did you…?"

"You're obviously flustered baby brother, and the only person to ever get you to act that way is Naruto. Now walk with me. Mother will understand if we're a little tardy to dinner if we're discussing your precious blonde."

Sasuke huffed but closed his bedroom door after grabbing a pair of flip-flops and putting on a muscle shirt. Itachi nodded approvingly and began to lead Sasuke out of the house and down into their lavish garden. There was a rose labyrinth, multiple fruit trees, shrubs, hedges, berry plants and herbs everywhere but they were laid out so that everything flowed in one big circle around the rose maze. Naruto had helped Mikoto plant all of the roses and set the mulch down to make sure that they stayed beautiful and free of weeds. Itachi led Sasuke to a nearby bench, conveniently close to Naruto's favorite orange trees that he gifted to the Uchiha's one summer.

"So talk Itachi. What do you want to lecture me about that mom and dad haven't already; the fact that I used someone to try and get close to him and ended up pushing him away? That I should have been more open about my feelings with Naruto instead of try to coax them out of him first? Or is that I should have just done nothing and hope that Naruto made the first move?"

"I don't want to lecture you."

"Then what is it? I've had more than I can take with this whole mess and as much as I'm trying to fix it, I can't do anything if Naruto won't talk to me."

"I've heard something from Deidara about the little blonde."

"What?"

"He finally managed to track him down, with Nagato's help of course."

"Is he alright?"

"Naruto is fine for the time. He's adjusting to college life just fine but for some reason he went to buy mini cameras earlier this week. Nagato's new girlfriend Konan works at the tech store they went to and she told him about it, who then told Deidara who then told me."

"Why would he buy cameras?"

"I don't know anything beyond that."

"It could be something for his criminal law class that he's minoring in."

"He's taking criminal law, not criminal justice. Plus the sizes of the cameras he purchased were far too small for what would be needed in that course."

"Then what would make him want to buy cameras? Was he with anyone?"

"According to Konan he was attended by another boy with spiky dark brown hair and a lazy expression on his face."

"Well I'm glad he's making friends at least. Even if he's not speaking to me I feel better that he's not alone in the city."

"Give Naruto time, little brother, he'll come around eventually and you'll be just like you used to be with him."

"I don't want things to be how they 'used to be' with Naruto. I want something more…I want to love him and hold him. I want him to be mine just as much as I want to be his."

"I understand Sasuke. Come on; mother is probably going to start calling for us to get our asses to the dinner table or we'll be going without food for the night."

The young raven smiled at his older brother and followed him back to the house just as their mother called for them to hurry and wash up. Dinner was a quiet but lighter affair than it had been that whole week and all of them were happy to have a hint of their normalcy around the table again. Sasuke was just beginning to drift off to sleep in his room after he had finished his meal when he remembered that the boy named Shikamaru still worked at his father's company on the weekends. Recalling that the boy had an air of laziness around him, he connected two and two together and thought that he was the one that was with Naruto that day at the tech store. An idea struck the raven and he bolted out of bed faster than you could say 'dobe'. Running to his father's office, he knocked and waited for permission to enter before swinging the door open as fast as he could. Fugaku looked surprised to see his youngest son, but motioned for him to take a seat and tell him what was wrong.

"Is Mr. Nara's son still going to be working at the company on the weekends?"

"Shikaku's boy? I believe so, but he's going to be working with him every other weekend. Why do you ask?"

"Will this be one of the weekends that he works?"

"I believe so since his schedule was already posted. He won't be in next weekend though."

"I would like to request that I be placed in his department on the weekends he works, if I may."

"If you have a good reason, I'll think about it. Why do you have an interest in the technical department?"

"It's not the department; it's Shikamaru that I want to work with."

"I'm going to need a better reason than simply because you want to work with a specific person, Sasuke."

"He goes to school with Naruto."

Fugaku's eyes widened a bit and he studied his son for a few minutes. The boy was more rigid and anxious than he had seen him in months – since he had come out of the closet and told him that he was gay in fact. Fugaku smirked at his sons actions and nodded his head in affirmation. Sasuke's face lit up in glee and he stood up, crossed the room and proceeded to do something he hadn't done since he was a small child; hug his father tightly. The man was taken aback but let his son hug him as he wrapped his own arm around his boys' shoulders. Sasuke thanked him many times before letting him go and rushed out the door to find his mother. The older man stood stunned for a few brief minutes before he allowed a smile to come upon his face as he thought his son was finally starting to return to normal.

The next day, Sasuke strutted into work with the grace of a swan; his head held high and confidence in his eyes. Finding the boy he was looking for in the break room, Sasuke greeted Shikamaru as kindly as he could.

"Good afternoon, Shikamaru. How has your first week of college been?"

"A drag, as I thought it would be. All the classes are such a bore and they really cut into my sleep time."

"That sounds…riveting. So how do you like your classmates?"

"They're fine. Most of them are a pain though."

"Anyone…in particular that you're close with?"

"Why the interest, Sasuke?"

"No specific reason, really. I just want to know how my coworker is adjusting to a new type of environment, that's all."

"That's not your only reason. I am taking psychology, remember?"

"Okay then, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did, but go ahead."

"Are there any blondes in any of your classes?"

"A few; maybe ten or twelve altogether."

"Are there any male blondes?"

"Three. You looking for someone in particular?"

"Yes, actually. He has blue eyes, tanned skin, three whisker-like marks on each of his cheeks and is pretty loud. His shade of blonde is sunshine yellow; brighter than sunflowers, but almost the shade of buttercups. So do you know him?"

"You're talking about Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yes! So are you friends with him?"

"I wouldn't say that. He's a little too loud for my tastes so I don't think I'd get along with him all that much," Shikamaru heaved, putting some slight irritation onto the last part of his sentence.

"That's impossible," Sasuke deadpanned.

"What is?"

"Nobody can 'not get along' with Naruto. He's the embodiment of joy and laughter; he wears his heart on his sleeve and he can change even the most close-minded person into a social butterfly! Don't say you wouldn't get along with him if you don't even know him!"

"Calm down Uchiha, I was only testing you. Yeah I'm friends with Naruto, what about it?"

"Do you remember the guy I was so depressed about over the summer?"

"Yeah, and I still get headaches when I think about it."

"The guy is Naruto. The one I said I should have confessed my feelings to is Naruto."

"Well what do you want me to do about it?"

"I'm…not sure if he's told you about me, but we used to be best friends before we graduated."

"So?"

"A little over two months ago he started avoiding me and I didn't know why. If you could ask him to give me a call, or send a text or an e-mail even, I would be more than grateful to you!"

"Hey man, whatever issues you two have going on is between you guys. It's too troublesome to get involved in."

"I can guarantee you a job upon your graduation if you do this for me."

"That's what law enforcement would call a 'bribe', Uchiha, not like I'd take it."

"Why not? It would save you the 'troublesome' task of finding a job on your own when all is said and done. It's not your field of study but it's a damn good paycheck. All you have to do is ask him to contact me; it's not like I'm asking you to kidnap him and bring him here. I just want to know how he's doing and ask him why he's avoiding me; although I have a pretty good hunch why he's doing it. Not only that but I need to explain everything that happened in high school to him so that he doesn't misunderstand anything."

"It's not my place to get involved. If you want to contact him, then you should be the one to do it. Don't install a middleman. 'If you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself,' right?"

"He won't answer me. I've already called him earlier this week but I haven't heard anything back."

"Then how do you propose I get him to respond?"

"You seem like a cunning guy; I bet you could talk him into it."

"Nice try, but I'm not that type of person."

"Could you just think about it?"

Shikamaru almost said no, but the look in Sasuke's eyes just screamed 'desperate'. Shikamaru was lazy, not heartless but he had told Naruto that he wouldn't tell Sasuke about what had happened at the blonde's apartment. Though in his cunning mind, he could ask hypothetical questions to the Uchiha.

"If I told you that Naruto had a boyfriend and that they were getting serious, what would you do?"

"Does he?!"

"If he did?"

"I would…! I'd…I would have to see Naruto and confirm it with my own ears and eyes!"

"And what if I said that he had an 'adamant' admirer? What would you do then?"

"I'd find the bastard and tell him to back off! I'd tell him that Naruto belongs with me and that he has no right in claiming him until I've had my say! If Naruto would reject me after all I've done then I would have no choice but to back off though and let him be happy. But if this admirer hurts him in any way, I'd hang him up a tree by his ball sack with nothing but fishing line and rusted metal hooks covered in muck."

Shikamaru stared at the now flustered boy once again; analyzing him and finding that his responses were genuine and sincere. The boy sighed heavily, happy to know that his blonde friend was in good hands if he ever decided to talk to the annoying raven again, and threw his hands up in resignation.

"Fine, whatever. I'll ask Naruto to contact you if it'll make working with you any less troublesome."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, now don't we have work to do?"

"We'll get to that in a minute, but first I have to know if either of the questions you asked are true."

"They were hypothetical. Scenario-based questions to see how you would react to things."

"Is that something they teach in those classes you take?"

"Yeah, the teacher is a real drag though and it's pretty confusing when he talks."

"So were they true scenarios or not? Does he have a boyfriend? Or an admirer? He got a lot of love letters when we were in high school so it wouldn't surprise me but I have to know."

"No and not exactly. Now, as much as I want to sleep there is work to be done."

"Wait a second; what do you mean 'not exactly'? Is something wrong with him?"

"It's not my place to say. If you want me to tell him to talk to you, why don't you ask him about it?"

"I'll make sure I do. Oh and one more thing."

"You're being a drag Sasuke."

"What were you doing with Naruto buying cameras at the tech store?"

"What are you talking about?"

"My brother's friend knows Naruto's cousin and his girlfriend apparently works there. She told Nagato about it and he asked Itachi if he knew anything about it. Itachi told me and since I have no idea, and that I heard that you were with him, I figured I would ask you."

"We bought them for me. Naruto and I were just hanging out and I needed to get a few new cameras for this project of mine."

"Did Naruto buy them?"

"No, I did."

"You're lying to me."

"What indications do you have that I'm lying?"

"Your head perked up and you're more focused on the conversation now. Normally, no matter who was saying what you would just have your arms folded on the desk with your head resting on them seeming to be asleep. But right now you're making eye contact and answering in fuller sentences."

"Fine, Naruto bought them. Geez maybe you should be a psychologist too. You have a good head for business but you can see through people really easy too."

"Thanks for that but if I were to offer Naruto a job after we work everything out and become partners, he can be my business partner whenever he graduates. You're both going to need to complete internships in the next five to six years."

"They're going to be a total drag."

"Drag or not the positions will be opened for you here. We already have two or three we're networked with."

"I'm not even going to ask why a multi-billion dollar company is networked with psychologists."

"Right, I'll leave you to get back to your work then. Please don't forget to ask Naruto for me."

As Sasuke was walking away from the break room, one of the secretaries pulled him aside and gave him a letter before he thanked her and she returned to her desk. Sasuke looked at the envelope with his name typed on it and opened it in a curious manner. Reaching inside to pull out the small slip of paper, he furrowed his brows in confusion and inspected the second envelope he just pulled out. Looking at the first one to see if there was a return address or a post mark, he found that only his name was written on it. Irritably opening the second envelope he discovered that it was just a piece of origami that was shaped like an envelope. Reading the message that was on the now unfolded paper, he cocked his head to the side and tried to look around the office for the woman who gave him the letter. He found the secretary again and asked her where she had gotten the letter or who had given it to her. But all she said was that it was in her mail box a little while ago, and that it was addressed to him. Showing the letter to the woman, her face morphed into one of confusion as well. Printed on the paper in bright red ink were the words,

 _"_ _Stay Away."_


	5. Chapter 5

**Back to Naruto's perspective! Just read it...I don't have anything clever to say right now. Nothing is mine but the plot and Masashi Kishimoto owns everything that I want. I will say that next week there may be a delay on the update. Not sure just yet but there are some personal things going on right now that hinder my schedule. I'll try to either update early or give you guys some sort of notice but if it's not posted on Monday then don't say I didn't warn you. I make the AN's for a reason...not just to type and be funny. I can only hope that you're all still interested and maybe getting closer to the edge of your seats because this is where the good stuff is going to be starting :) :) :) Well, maybe not _all_ of the _good_ stuff but at least there is some more drama/suspense!**

Hell. That's what the past several days had been for Naruto. Ever since he had the minor break-in at his apartment, he had been on pins and needles and unable to sit still. Everywhere he would go he would be looking over his shoulder and speak in hushed tones. He was wary of anybody trying to listen in on any of the conversations he had. It was difficult to do since he was such a boisterous person and his new college friends were getting a little suspicious but it was just something he felt needed to be done. Not only was his personality slowly starting to change but his resolve to avoid Sasuke was beginning to waver as well. If there was anyone who would know exactly what to do in this situation, it would be his best friend. Yes, Naruto still considered the bastard his best friend; realistically he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay away from him forever. If the relationship with Suigetsu was indeed faked then Naruto would eventually forgive the teme and maybe even finally confess his love to the idiot.

Ever since Sasuke had called and left that message that sounded so forlorn and defeated on the day he found the letter in his apartment, he had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he _needed_ to speak to Sasuke. He felt that he needed to justify his actions over the past two months and apologize for his behavior. If Sasuke wanted to talk to him and hang out with him again then who was he to deny the both of them the little time they may have had left together anyway? Naruto was sure that Sasuke would be the one chosen to be the head of the international branch of Uchiha Corporations, and that Sasuke would accept the position happily. The blonde knew it was more than a few years off until that time came but he had foolishly wasted two and a half months that they could have spent making new memories; even if they hadn't been the memories Naruto wanted them to have as boyfriends.

Naruto had spent so many hours just staring at the contact ID in his phone for Sasuke's information, contemplating whether or not to call him. Naruto had actually gotten the teme to smile for the picture and it was by far one of his favorites. It showed off Sasuke's playful side that he normally kept hidden from the general public for the sake of his, maybe intact, virginity and sanity. They had been at the Uchiha mansion playing video games and eating pizza and chicken wings when Sasuke had, again, managed to beat Naruto at the latest racing game he had bought. When Naruto pulled out his phone to get a picture Sasuke had actually posed and smiling enough to show his teeth. Even though the photo brought back such a fond memory, all Naruto could do at the time was sigh and once again close his phone before he could call the raven. If there was even an off-chance that Sasuke and Suigetsu were together for real then he didn't want to interrupt them if they were 'in the middle' of anything. Still that feeling in his stomach refused to go away. Not only that, but if this lunatic stalker of his decided to target anybody to hurt, the last person Naruto wanted to have a target painted on their back was his Uchiha-teme.

Naruto breathed in a sigh of relief as he returned to his apartment after his first week of classes had ended. Earlier in the week, he and Shikamaru had gone to the local tech store to purchase fifteen mini-cameras to place around his apartment for security. He thought that it would give him at least some peace of mind if nothing else. Since his stalker friend had broken into the apartment on Tuesday, he notified the building manager about the incident and the portly man had been reviewing the tapes with his chief of security. Naruto had been told that they would handle the trouble of contacting the authorities and had even offered to refund Naruto for the cameras he had bought. By Wednesday night, all of the cameras had been installed and were operational; thanks to the genius that was Shikamaru. Two cameras were set up in his bedroom, one facing the door and the other facing his window and bed. In the living room, three cameras were set up in hard-to-notice areas all around the room. One was hanging off of the ceiling fan disguised as a pull cord that inconspicuously rotated around the room to have a 360 degree vantage point. Another was placed in Naruto's potted banana tree he named Charlotte and it had faced the door from the front hallway. The last significant camera in the living room was placed just above his TV and just looked like a normal sensor bar for his gaming console. That one had a good view of the entire room and a good way down the hall that lead to Naruto's bedroom. The rest of the cameras focused on his windows and entrances to the other rooms in the unit.

Ultimately Naruto felt a little safer knowing that the apartment now had some sort of security measure. At least if the creep ever decided to leave something in his place again they would have evidence of the incident. Although the cameras helped act as a deterrent he knew that if the guy really wanted something from him they wouldn't stop him. The best thing the police would do at this point would be telling him to either get a dog or search for a suitable roommate so that he wasn't alone. The dog would be a good idea if he didn't already have his precious cat Kyuubi, and the roommate was another thing he could tolerate but he didn't want to run the risk of potentially having his stalker live with him. He knew that based on the typical stalker behavior that they usually kept themselves hidden from the objects of their obsessions until they were prepared to make their moves, but with his luck Naruto would get the one who wasn't like the rest. It was Saturday now and Shikamaru had to go back home yesterday after classes let out so that he could make it to work, so if anything happened in the next two days he was once again on his own.

Naruto set his backpack down after he had gotten home from the library that morning beside the couch and walked into the kitchen to get himself a drink. Pulling out a bottle of water, he popped the cap off and took a long swig before he brought it back down and gave a loud 'pwah' sound in satisfaction. Heading back to his bedroom to change clothes, he was stopped in his tracks as he heard a knocking on his door. Calling out asking 'who's there', the people on the other side of the door informed him that they were the police and that they had a few questions for him regarding the break-in. Naruto hurried to the door to see for himself if they really were who they said they were. Opening the door, but not unlatching the chain, Naruto eyed them up and nodded towards their badges.

"Show me your ID's and badge numbers. I want to know if you're real cops."

The tall man with scars on his face gave him his credentials first, followed by the woman with the purple hair and ridiculously large breasts. Looking at the first identification card, it read Ibiki Morino, age fifty-one, private detective, badge number 6307. The second was for Anko Mitarashi; age thirty-four, private detective, and badge number 2584. Naruto gave them back their ID's and badges and opened the door for them.

"I'm sorry for that; it's just that you can't be too careful, you know?"

"It's quite alright, son. You did the proper thing and that's exactly what I would have done. Now, we just have a few questions for you about what happened earlier this week," the man explained to him. His voice was gruff and rigid; like a cold slab of steel cutting through icy ocean waters to break the shore. It was intimidating and Naruto could understand why someone would want to run from him. However, having a respect for boys, and girls, in blue he nodded his head at the explanation, but one thing was buzzing around in his head right now.

"Of course. But I have one question first."

"And that would be?"

"What are two private detectives doing investigating a break in? Don't you guys normally handle tougher cases like murders or kidnappings?"

"On a typical day, yes that is our job but this case is an exception. We were informed of certain circumstances and were asked to personally investigate this case."

"Certain circumstances? Asked personally? Just who are you guys?"

"Listen kid, that stuff's not important right now. All we're here to do is make sure that this happens only one time in your life and then we can all move on with our lives. Now are we allowed to sit down somewhere and talk or are we going to stay in the doorway?" the woman asked irritably. When she spoke it was brash and straight to the point – no nonsense and impatient but at the same time protective and mischievous.

"We can talk in the living room. Would either of you like some tea or snacks?"

"Nothing for me, thank you," Ibiki said.

"I'll have some tea and some sweet dumplings if you've got 'em kid," Anko happily chimed.

"Uh, sure. I can see if I have any dumplings but what kind of tea would you like? I have black, green, white, lemon, peppermint, and oolong; which would you prefer?"

"Green tea will do just fine, thanks."

Naruto set to work to prepare the tea for the female detective and while he was in the kitchen he heard the man smack her over the head as she cried out. Naruto chuckled a little, already liking these two, but couldn't help but feel intimidated by the man, Ibiki. He guessed that he should just be thankful that the police were doing something about the incident instead of pushing him to the back of the line. Naruto understood that cops had it rough and that other cases took precedence over others, and that simple break-ins are usually swept under the rug and typically lost in the mountains upon mountains of paperwork. If he had to guess, Naruto would say that the letter the culprit left was what brought them here. It was the only thing he could think of that would be categorized under 'certain circumstances' other than his parents. As far as he knew however, his mom and dad had no clue this incident happened since he hadn't been flown to the Congo until he was considered safe. Finished preparing the tea and finding that he had no dumplings, Naruto brought out the cup on a small tray and set it down on the coffee table in front of the busty woman, who was rubbing the back of her head slightly.

"I'm sorry I don't have any sweet dumplings, but I can offer you some tea cakes if you would like."

"You're a good kid, I like that. But the tea is fine, thanks. Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to start with some basic background information."

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"First of all, how long have you lived in this apartment?" Ibiki asked.

"About two months or just under that time. This was supposed to be a college gift from my parents so that I would have a shorter commute to school."

"And how long have you been in school?"

"Yesterday I finished my first week."

"Do you have a job in the area that would expose you to any sort of threat?"

"I haven't found anywhere to work here in the city yet. I worked as a host and waiter at my mother's restaurant on the weekends while I was in high school but I worked there over the summer full time. I would say the only threat I would have been at risk of getting was the usual pouring of hot soup all over me, but nothing has happened like that so far."

"What is the name of the restaurant you worked at? You said it was your mothers."

"Fox's Nine Tails. It's a pretty nice place with a huge outdoor bar, karaoke stage, and huge dining spaces indoors and out. It's beside the big hotel, 'Hokage Gardens' right off the boulevard."

"Kushina Uzumaki owns that place. I hear it's really good."

"Mom runs a tight ship if you know what I mean. She was a marine before she had me and then she went back to school to become a chef. She opened the place about seven years ago and I've worked there every summer ever since."

"So Kushina Uzumaki is your mother then?"

"Uzumaki-Namikaze to be precise. She didn't want to change her military ID when she resigned from active duty, so I took on both names as well. I use Uzumaki more than Namikaze though. Mom says it's for my own protection."

"Namikaze as in Minato Namikaze? The owner of earlier mentioned 'Hokage Gardens' hotel chain that's about to go international, Minato Namikaze?" Anko asked suspiciously.

"I have my birth certificate with his signature on it if you don't believe I'm his son."

"Now I understand why the chief wanted us down here so bad. I had no idea that you were a high profile, kid," she said after she let out a whistle in astonishment.

"High profile? I never wanted this to be 'high profile' or anything like that! Somebody just broke into my apartment and left me a crazy-ass letter, that's all! I already took precautions to stop it from happening again!" the blonde shouted hysterically but not quite angry.

"Please, calm down Mr. Uzumaki. Anko, you know the chief didn't want him to panic so we weren't supposed to tell him he was 'high profile'. Apologize to the boy."

"I would, but I'm not sorry. The kid has the right to know that he may have a target painted on his back."

"Target?" Naruto muttered out. He looked between the two detectives sitting on his couch. Ibiki looked about ready to kill Anko and Anko just seemed to be soaking in all of the information that had been collected so far. The cogs in her head were turning trying to put all of the pieces together in order to see the big picture. Until they finished questioning him however, she would still be in the dark. Ibiki sent one last glare her way before he sighed and turned back to Naruto.

"Mr. Uzumaki, it's not unusual for the children of wealthy people to be targeted by rival companies or businesses in order to gain something from their parents. We're not saying that this is specifically the case where you're involved, but until we know the nature of this incident we have no choice but to consider you a potential target for a more violent crime. We will investigate every angle we can of this case until we can eliminate any threat to you, but it will take some time. Please understand that the measures we are taking are precautions and that they shouldn't interrupt your daily life."

"Do…do my parents know about this?"

"They will be informed once we leave here today. We have a few questions regarding the letter you received."

"Okay…I'll try my best."

"What time was it when you noticed the letter in the apartment?"

"I don't really know, but it was some time in the early evening after I got home from my last class. I think it was pushing six o'clock when I got out of the library just down the block and I found it not too long after that."

"Was anything out of place or missing?"

"A friend of mine helped me go through everything after we bought all of the cameras and had them running that day. The only thing we found that was missing was a keychain with my initials on it."

"Does the keychain mean something of value to you?"

"It was something my…friend…gave to me at a festival two years ago."

"What is that friend's name?"

"I don't really think that's important right now."

"We'll decide what's important and what's not. Now, the friend's name?"

Naruto hesitated for a few moments but caved under the intense stare Ibiki was giving him. Naruto was sure he never wanted to be alone with this man in a cell with nothing but a cheap metal table separating them.

"Uchiha…Sasuke Uchiha."

"That's a pretty big name, kid. This just made our job that much harder."

"I stopped talking to Sasuke. I haven't had contact with him since I started getting the letters."

"And how long ago was the first letter received?"

"Two months ago. Each one comes with a trinket or something."

"Do you remember what was in each letter?"

"A buttercup, a locket with a picture of my cat inside it, a purple hairclip, a rubber wristband, a piece of broken yellow glass, a sticker collage with my name all over it, a white feather with a red border, and a bottle of sleeping pills."

"So that makes eight in total. When did they begin to get threatening?"

"The eighth. The one that was left inside my apartment during the break-in."

"I see. Well the good news is that we may be able to rule you out as being a target because of your parent's businesses. The bad news is that the case just got that much worse, seeing as we no longer have any suspects to make a list with. Do you still have all of the items that came with the letters?"

Naruto was about to respond when there was another knock on the door. Ibiki straightened his back as Anko reached for her gun at her belt. She motioned for Naruto to get down and hide in a corner until they gave the 'all clear.' Ibiki looked through the peep hole on the door and saw an old woman carrying a bag of vegetables and holding a cane. He signaled something to Anko and she backed up further into the room to cover Naruto. Ibiki opened the door and politely asked the woman what he could do for her.

"Some nice young man gave me this rather delicate looking package to give to the boy who lives in this apartment. Who are you people? Where is the sweet young boy who lives here? Do I have to call the police? My grandson is on the force you know and he'll be here faster than you can say 'move it' and I mean it!"

"Ma'am, my name is Detective Ibiki Morino and I am with the Konoha Police Department. I'm here investigating the break-in that happened here earlier this week. Could you come inside and speak with my partner and me?"

"Only if you tell me what happened to that sweet boy who lives here! If he was hurt, by thunder, you boys in blue will get a whooping so hard that your teeth will cross and your eyes will sink into the backs of your heads!"

Ibiki only smirked at the old woman's tenacity and guided her inside of the apartment where Anko and Naruto were now sitting on the couch. Anko was drinking her tea and Naruto was picking at the hem of his shirt nervously. When he saw the old woman however, he smiled gently and stood up to offer her his seat.

"Oh, thank heavens you're alright, dear. It'd be such a shame if something had happened to someone so young when somebody much more vulnerable like me was living here."

"Don't say something like that Mrs. Yin, I'd feel horrible if something happened to you."

"Now aren't you just the nicest boy. I almost forgot; I have something for you."

"You do?"

"Yes. A nice young man gave it to me just while I was coming up the stairs. He helped me carry my groceries up to the top of the steps and then left down the end of the hall. He told me that he had a letter for you, but I have to say this looks like either one very long letter or there is something else in here."

Naruto froze and looked quickly to the two detectives. They both shared a look and Anko moved to the other side of Mrs. Yin.

"Mrs. Yin, my name is Detective Anko Mitarashi and I'm with the KPD. May I see the package you have for Naruto?"

"No young lady; and I don't care if you're with the police. This parcel was meant for Naruto and that's just who I'm going to give it to."

She handed the parcel over to Naruto and he accepted it with shaking hands. Anko sat beside him as her partner led the old woman into the kitchen so that she didn't have to see what was written on the paper surely nested inside. He had asked her if she could describe the man if a sketch artist came down to see her and she said it would be fine as long as she had time to feed her fish. Turning his attention back to the large envelope shaped paper, Naruto began to open it but Anko stopped him. Taking a pair of rubber gloves out from her back pocket, she instructed Naruto to put them on before he opened it any further and he complied. Once it was fully revealed, Naruto gasped as he saw dozens of pictures of himself and Sasuke. There were pictures of Sasuke getting into his car, talking with his brother, sitting in the park, and some where the two of them were together. A certain photo caught Naruto's eye and he had to bring a hand up to his mouth to stop himself from hurling all over himself. Sasuke and he were at a carnival playing a dart throwing game and after Sasuke had won, he gave is prize to the blonde. Naruto's mom had taken the picture three days before school started that year and Sasuke started going out with Suigetsu. It was the same image that he had framed on the side of his bed in his room at his parent's house. The same picture that he had cried to when he saw the boy he loved holding hands with the other boy. With all of these pictures there was a big difference though. The images of Sasuke were distorted and burned around the edges. Some had holes in his face; as though darts had been thrown at them and had hit their mark. The ones of Naruto though seemed to have hearts painted in blood around his face and phrases that seemed to describe what was happening in the picture. In one particular photo, Naruto had been on the phone in front of the restaurant on his break and he was smiling; the writing had said 'talking to Kiba-kun about meeting me in the future' with little hearts next to his face. Holding back the tears that threatened to leave his eyes, Naruto finally scanned the paper to read the writing on the page.

 _Dear my love,_

 _They say that all is fair in love and war, but I would like to clarify that statement. Love is war and that makes everything fair. He lied to you; he deceived you and hurt you in the worst of ways! I told you I would kill for you, my love. And if you say the word, darling, he'll die. And if you don't want him gone then I'll spare him…but then I'll have to do something I don't want to do. He hurt you but you call for him when you sleep, even though you don't know it. He tricked you with that other man and yet you still long for him! Aren't I enough for you my love? Don't think that I haven't seen you gazing at your cell phone waiting for his call. Don't you dare think that I don't know that you want to hear his voice; it should be my voice that you long to hear after so long! Do I not provide you with everything you need and want? What do I have to do to get you to see that we're MEANT to be TOGETHER?! The red string of fate proves it darling. The string that ties the two of us together is one that cannot be broken and I know that you just need time to see it. If you choose him, then you choose the way of pain. I find you too beautiful to scar my love, but I promise you…you will be mine. As you can see, I know where you are, what you do, when you do it, who you're with and what they do. Soon, I will reveal myself to you and all will be clear, darling. We can be together…or we will die together. It's your choice. Choose me and I will spare his life for you. Should you choose him however…Sasuke Uchiha dies, and I will have to teach you your lesson._

 _Choose wisely,_

 _Your haven_

Naruto dropped the letter and dashed for the bathroom to empty his stomach of the bile that was started to make its way slowly up his throat and into his mouth. Ibiki instructed Anko to collect the cameras that had just been installed outside of Naruto's doorway to collect the footage and see if they had caught a glimpse of the perpetrator. While Anko carried out her task of gathering the aforementioned equipment, Ibiki made his way to the bathroom door and knocked twice; asking Naruto if he was okay or if he was in need of any assistance. Hearing the toilet flush and water running, the detective could only guess that the young man was rinsing his mouth of the vile taste of vomit and acid before he came back out into the living room. Ibiki sent the old woman to her own apartment before Naruto emerged from the bathroom; pale and standing on shaky legs. The older man took his arm and guided him to the couch so that he was comfortable but the boy flinched as soon as he was seated. The detective followed his line of sight to see the images of the burnt Uchiha and the once bubbly blonde that sat beside him in a heap on the floor. He went over to collect them as he called for back-up to bring crime scene markers and evidence bags. Anko then came into the room with her cell phone held out to her partner.

"You're going to want to take this one. It's the big man calling."

Nodding his head and taking the phone, he answered with a strong 'Marino' before he walked down the hallway to protect the younger boy's ears from the conversation. Naruto wearily turned to look at Anko and she sat down to hold him in comfort.

"Why me? What did I ever do to this creep to make him do this to me?"

"You did nothing Naruto; it's this guy who's done something wrong."

"Then why do I feel so guilty?"

"It's because you don't want your friend to get hurt because of this guy. We'll do everything we can to stop this creep before anything happens to you; I promise. Ibiki is the best in the business and he always gets his man, trust me. He's been on the force longer than any other person I've worked with and I've had to be reassigned three times! And the chief is a really great guy too, so don't you worry your shiny blonde head about this."

"But what about Sasuke? This psycho wants me to choose whether he lives or dies all because he wants me to be with him! Even though I'm not talking to Sasuke!"

"We'll send someone over to pick him up in just a little while, but first we need to process everything here. Let us do our jobs and just try to relax."

"But what can processing the scene do? There is no forensics available and there is no back trace on any of the letters. There were no smudges or special marks on anything so I don't think he was dumb enough to leave a fingerprint. The paper is generic printer paper you can buy at any office supply store and everything is printed with standard ink. The envelope shape in origami can be learned with any internet search or origami book sold in a major book store. There is no way to trace where any of those things came from and even if there was it would all lead to dead ends."

"It sounds like you did your homework, but you haven't met the forensic analyst we have. He's pretty badass and almost as good as Ibiki at his job."

Naruto only nodded his head and he let himself be comforted by the cop before Ibiki came back and handed her back her phone.

"Well kid, it looks like you'll have to come with us for a little while. The chief will be calling your parents and your teachers explaining the situation and everything will be taken care of. A car has been sent for Mr. Uchiha and he'll be at the station later tonight as well."

"If this is 'high profile' then I pity those in witness protection."


	6. Chapter 6

**Managed to update on schedule...wow. Well this one is a lot longer than the other chapters since I figured that updating late meant that you guys needed a reward for your patience but I guess you can just consider this a new standard. At least I hope that it's good enough to be standard, I read and reread this so many times my eyes started to swim and I still didn't 'like' it. Oh well, what the hell can you do when you need certain things for the sake of plot? Ugh, that's what I get for trying to be dramatic and build up to things I guess. My writing is starting to suffer I think. Personal things are still going on and I'm only going to get busier from here on but I should be able to update without problems next week.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot, and even that is based on an episode of 'Criminal Minds' which is owned by CBS and other affiliations that claim ownership. Naruto and the Naruto franchise belong to Masashi Kishimoto and, again, other affiliations that claim such legal rights. I don't collect any sort of payment unless you consider reviews/favorites/follows currency.**

Ibiki gave him a sad pitying smile before he put a hand on the blonde's shoulder in sympathy.

"If it's any consolation kid, I would say that this is better than witness protection."

"How so?"

"In witness protection you have to change everything about yourself. You can't contact anyone you know, you have to change your name, hair, eyes, fashion; everything so that the person you're trying to hide from doesn't find you. Your past is erased and you have to move away from everything you know until the threat is over or you're out of danger. To me that never sounded fun. My little brother had to be put in witness protection years ago but because the security is a little less…tight, he lost his life and the killer walked."

"Don't you think that's the next step I'm supposed to take though?"

"No. The next step is a protection detail and after that, we move you to a different location."

"I can't move, I still have school and I can't switch to online classes in my field of study!"

"We're not saying that is what we're going to do at this time. First we have to get a good grasp on the situation and follow up on some things from what we know. The chief wants to talk to you about this and see exactly what you want to do."

"Will he give me options then or is this going to be one of those, 'we'll let you pick how you die, just give us time to think of a good way to counteract it' type thing?"

"I've never heard of anyone doing anything like that but that's not what we're going to do."

"Answer me one thing then."

"Yes?"

"Can you keep my friends safe? Will they be out of harm's way?"

"We can do everything in our power to make sure everyone you hold dear stays safe. The chief already sent a car to pick up Sasuke Uchiha and he should be down at the station in the next few hours, like I said before."

"I don't think I'll be able to handle seeing him. Not after those pictures…not now that I know he's a target."

"We can keep the two of you separated. You don't have to tell us why you didn't want to contact him before, but we can make sure that it stays that way if you would prefer."

"Instead of going straight to the station…can I go to my parent's house?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea at this time. They'll be at the station as well in a short while, but we have to get you there first."

"I want my kitten."

"Your kitten?"

"Yes, my kitten. He just got fixed and he's with mom and dad right now since I didn't have the time to watch him and take care of him because of my classes. I want my Kyuubi."

"We can ask them if they can bring the kitten if that's what you want but we really do have to leave now, Naruto. Come on, I'll take you. Ibiki, stay here and wait for the crime scene investigators to get here and I'll inform the chief of everything that happened in detail when we get there. I'll keep you posted as well," Anko finally chimed in her two cents.

"Just be careful you two."

"Will do partner."

Anko lead Naruto out of the apartment after he grabbed some clothes, his backpack and some other essentials since he didn't know how long he would be at the police station tonight. He was looking forward to seeing his mom and dad but at the same time dreading the experience as well. Naruto knew that he was in for a good talking to when his mom found out about the break-in let alone if she was told about the stalker. His father would be no better but he would at least be understanding and rational about it all. Naruto only felt bad because his dad had just returned from a business trip early this morning and would be tired from jet lag and probably wanting to relax in the bath for a few hours.

Getting into the car, Anko hopped in the driver's seat and proceeded to speed the whole way to the police station. Naruto had to hold on to his seat belt and the door handle just to keep himself in his seat for the whole trip. What should have taken forty-five minutes took no more than fifteen for the purple-haired detective and when she finally parked, she let out a howl of laughter at Naruto's appearance. Although no windows were down in her car, his blonde hair was tousled and he was still holding onto the seatbelt. He had his knees drawn up close to his chest, at least as close as he could get while still having the dashboard in front of him. Her laughter dying down, she got out of the car and opened the door for the blonde so that he could follow her. When the two stepped inside, phones were ringing, people were scrambling, papers were flying and he could hear prisoners and suspects yelling their innocence and crying for their mothers.

"Just ignore all of the daily commotion. Although I have to say it's normally not this messy unless our prosecutor, Mr. Hyuga is here."

"Hyuga?"

"Geez you know a lot of people. Which one do you know?"

"Hinata. She's one of my best friends and she's dating another close friend of mine. I didn't know she was related to a lawyer."

"Mr. Hyuga is her father, she comes here every now and then with him since she's now in law school. She shadows him sometimes. I have to say though I don't think she's got what it takes. She's way too shy and mousy."

"Give her some time, that's all. She can be a little firecracker when she wants to be. Not like my other friend Sakura Haruno."

"The heiress to the Haruno cosmetics company?"

"The one and only."

"You do realize that you went to school with a lot of high profile people, right?"

"I'm realizing it now."

"Anko, there you are. Ah, good you have Naruto with you, come into my office," an older man had said coming out of the hallway. The man had gray hair, only covering half of his balding head and a goatee covering his strong chin. Short in stature but confident in his gait, the man oozed of determination, pride and ability. The man looked familiar to him but Naruto couldn't figure out where he had seen him before. Clearly it wasn't in his officer's uniform or the white button up shirt with the blue jeans held up by suspenders that the man was wearing now but he recalled something of a more formal nature.

"Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, allow me to introduce the chief of police and my big bad boss, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Boss, this is Naruto but I see that you already know that."

"Yes, he and I have a short history together but we'll reminisce later when all of this is over."

"Sarutobi? Why does that sound familiar?"

"I don't see the harm in going over some old memories right now, I guess. Your grandparents, Tsunade and Jiraiya were pupils of mine a long time ago, along with another bright young protégée. I was also one of the groomsmen at your parents wedding, and was at the hospital for your mother when you were born. It all happened a very long time ago, but your family is very dear to me."

"Are you by any chance related to an Asuma Sarutobi?"

"He's my son, yes."

"He's my psychology professor. His nephew is his teacher's aide and the kid hasn't let me alone all week."

"Konohamaru can be like that sometimes, but it just shows that he respects you and admires you. But that's enough of the stroll down memory lane for right now; let's get down to the reason you're here."

"Are you talking about the break-in gone horrible or the letters gone insanely worse?"

"How about we talk about both? At least until your parents arrive. Why don't we go somewhere to get a bite to eat while we talk?"

"I'm sorry sir, but food doesn't really sound all that appealing right now."

"Oh, that's too bad. And there was this nice ramen shop just down the street that was having a sale today."

"Why are we still standing here?!" Naruto yelled, eyes widening in hope and glee for the first time in a full week. Maybe even in a full two months since he hadn't been really 'happy' since he started avoiding the youngest Uchiha.

"Chief, I hate to interrupt, but do you really think that taking him out of the station is a good idea? He's got a stalker out there saying that he's willing to kill somebody for him and you want to take him out for noodles?"

"Anko, I'm a former sniper of the marines, I think I know how to defend a young boy from a stalker."

"That's the picture I know you from! You were one of my mom's trainers in the core! You got a purple heart and medal of honor when you were thirty-two before you started to train privates!"

"Yes, that's me. Although that seems like a lifetime ago. I actually retired from the marines the same year your mother graduated from the course."

"So if you've only been out for twenty years, how did you become chief of police so fast? I thought that you had to be a decorated officer with so many years on the force to get the position."

"It's a long story, but it's not important right now. All that matters is keeping you safe until all of this blows over."

"If you say so."

Naruto and the chief talked for a while as they walked to the ramen shop before they started discussing the case. They went over everything that happened regarding the break-in and then moved on to the letters before Sarutobi received a call informing him that Naruto's parents were at the station in a panic over their son. Smiling fondly, Sarutobi closed the phone and ended the call before paying for their meal and guiding Naruto back to the station. Naruto looked around the bullpen to see if his mom and dad were anywhere in sight until Naruto heard his name called. Turning his head to look into the chief's office, his mother was pushing herself out of her chair and wiping her eyes of the tears before she ran to hug him. His father was close behind and when the older blonde reached him, his eyes betrayed his worry and his panic. Minato held his wife and son in relief as Naruto calmly told them that he was alright and that everything was being taken care of.

"Oh baby, when I got that call from the detective I thought that you had been hurt or something had happened to you and I didn't know what to do with myself! Why didn't you tell us someone was sending you creepy stalker letters?! Honey, we could have stopped this before it got this bad but just tell me why you didn't tell us," Kushina cried as she checked her baby over for any injuries or marks.

"Mom, I'm fine. I wasn't hurt in the break-in, and nothing was damaged. I just got a creepy letter, that's all."

"Naruto, don't lie to us. The police told us everything; about how many you've gotten and how little trinkets came with them," Minato said calmly. The man was shaken, that was a fact, but he had always had more self-control when it came to his emotions than his wife. Naruto knew that his father was going over every possible scenario in his head about what could have happened to his boy if the police hadn't gotten involved.

"They told you?"

"Everything. And they told us about Sasuke as well."

"I didn't want anyone to worry about me. I thought I could handle this on my own."

"Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, I am your mother and I know you better than you know yourself sometimes. You thought that since there was no paper trail or obvious forensics that the police couldn't do anything to help you unless something had happened to you."

"Well, it looks like that's exactly what happened. The only reason they got involved in the first place is because somebody slipped into my apartment and left me another piece of fan mail!" Naruto shot back at his mother frustrated. Kushina could only keep her head down as she had to agree with her son on this one.

"They still may have been able to do something, Naruto. They're here to protect the people, not brush off every case that comes across their desk," Minato offered.

"You forget, dad I'm taking criminal law. They don't have to take every case that comes across their desks. It's a lot of taxpayers' dollars to spend on something like a few letters being sent to some nobody kid."

"Naruto, as much as you don't act like it, you aren't just some 'nobody kid.' You come from very successful people and that may have something to do with what is happening now. I know that you don't look at things that way son, but you have to understand how other people think. Isn't that why you're going to school to be a psychologist?"

"Well, yeah but-"

"What's done is done now and at least they're doing something about what's happened. We just have to be thankful that you're safe, baby."

"I know mom…I know. Do you have Kyuubi?" Naruto asked shakily, on the brink of tears.

Kushina went back into the room she and her husband had been sitting in before Naruto arrived. Naruto let his eyes follow the wild red-headed woman while his father kept an arm wrapped around his shoulder. The older blonde smiled a little bit as he saw his wife pick up and come back out with a little cat carrier. Naruto could hear his tiny baby hiss and meow angrily at his mother, seeing as the carrier was being swayed back and forth slightly and the poor thing got motion sickness easily. The kitten mewled pathetically when he saw his master for the first time in a week and brushed his head and side against the door of his temporary prison. Naruto cooed at the fluffy being before he set the box down on the floor and opened it up to grab the kitten. Kyuubi clung to Naruto's jacket sleeve before the blonde brought him to sit cradled on his shoulder as a comfort to the both of them. Kyuubi purred happily as Naruto nuzzled his head with his cheek. The kitten settled itself down in his master's arms and looked around the squad room lazily.

"Naruto…what are you going to do about Sasuke? They're bringing him here to question him as well."

"Why would they question Sasuke? They told me that they were bringing him in because of what I got in the last letter but I didn't think he was going to be questioned. I know Sasuke isn't the one sending the letters if they have him as a suspect."

"Mikoto and Fugaku called us about an hour ago…Sasuke got a letter as well."

"Sasuke…he got one too?"

"I'm not quite sure what all it said but when the police went to get him after they were told to at your apartment, he showed them the paper he got earlier today. Mikoto said that from the description you gave, it was the same as the ones you were getting."

"That's not possible…did this creep threaten him? It makes no sense, why would he send Sasuke a letter?! He didn't do anything!"

"Son, this guy has pictures of the both of you; Sasuke's are distorted and burned. He's a target because he's close to you."

"But I stopped talking to him months ago! Why is this psycho going after him?!"

"He's going after him because he sees Sasuke as a threat. He might think that Sasuke might get in the way of whatever he has planned for you. We won't let anything happen to you but just calm down, and use the week of college education to try and sort out this guy's reasoning. You're scared, confused, a little angry and worried right now, and with you Naruto that's never a good combination," Kushina told her son softly, with all the gentleness a mother could provide at a time like this.

"Mr. and Mrs. Namikaze, Naruto, I'm going to have to ask you to follow me into one of our interrogation rooms. We just have a few questions for you regarding the events of the last few days."

"Interrogation room? My son is a victim here and you want to interrogate him?!" Kushina yelled, slipping into her 'Red-Hot Habanero' persona.

"Kushina please, just let the men do their jobs. We're not being interrogated; they just want to clear things up with Naruto about what happened this week."

"Well that doesn't mean they have to take us to an interrogation room!"

"Please, ma'am it's the only place with enough privacy for us to talk without being overheard."

"Who are you calling ma'am?!"

"Mom, come on its okay. I'll go with them; you and dad can just stay out here and catch up with the chief of police. I'm taking my cat though."

"No baby, we go in as a family. You've done enough on your own; let us help you."

"Mom, no offense but you don't know what all has happened in the last week."

"Then we're going in as your support. Alright officer, you may take us to the 'private' room."

"Right this way, then."

Naruto and his parents followed the young officer who had no doubt been scarred for life because of his mother. The ex-marine was a force to be reckoned with when she was on the war path, or if you didn't come down for dinner when she called you the first time. Calling her 'ma'am' just wasn't a good idea. She preferred to be called either 'Ms. Uzumaki' or just 'Kushina' but since she was in the marines, having people call her ma'am was just something she ran into every now and then. Coming into the small room normally kept cold for suspects to break easier, Naruto found himself holding his kitten closer if it were possible. Kushina and Minato both held a hand to their sons shoulder as he was instructed to sit down. Naruto put Kyuubi down in his lap so that the little being could either fall asleep or leap down and explore the room a little. Making himself comfortable in the chair, or as comfortable in a metal fold-up chair as he could get, he focused his attention on the young officer sitting across from him.

"Now Mr. Namikaze,"

"Mr. Namikaze is the man standing behind me. I'm Mr. Uzumaki-Namikaze or just plain Naruto."

"Okay then, Naruto. Why don't you take me through what happened on the day you got the letter?"

"I woke up, did my normal workout routine, made myself some breakfast and killed some time before I had to go to classes by playing some video games. I got to school just fine and met up with a few of my classmates to go over the homework Mr. Hatake gave us the night before. Classes went by without a hitch so after they were over I went to the school library to study a bit before going home."

"Why didn't you go straight home?"

"Dude, have you had to do a pre-psych evaluation on one of your classmates you hardly know before Thursday classes, when you literally JUST started the course? I didn't think so."

"Then you went to the library to follow this classmate of yours?"

"Don't make me sound shady – I went there to read up on some study materials we don't have access to in the public library. The girl I had to do an evaluation on wasn't even there. Her name is Tenten Shimura if you must know," Naruto bit out to the officer. He was getting sick of being asked the same questions he had been asked all day; seeing as this was now the third time he had to hear them. He was also getting a little tired and had been fighting the urge to punch something since he got home from the library that afternoon. He thought that he would come home after a regular day, take a nap, hit his punching bag a few times and make some ramen for dinner, but this whole fiasco started. Now he learned that the boy he loved was a target of this whack-job and the raven was none the wiser, at least as far as he knew right now.

"I'm sorry, but we have to be thorough in our investigation."

"I understand, just please ask what you NEED to so we can all move on."

"What were you doing when you received the letter with the sleeping pills beside them?"

"I was on my way home from the library, like I told you, and I was about to pass out on my couch to get some rest."

"Did you run into anybody on your way up to your apartment?"

"No."

"Did you see anyone you didn't recognize?"

"I've only been in the building for two months and there are thirty-five units in my building alone. I only recognize seven people and they're all from my floor."

"What time was it that you got home from the library?"

"I don't know, maybe around six or six thirty?"

"Which is it, Naruto?"

"Sir, you're interrogating the _victim_ of the crime here; not a suspect," Minato warned the young man on the other side of the table.

"My apologies, Mr. Namikaze. So let's just say you got home around six fifteen. Did you lock the door to your apartment after you left for school that day?"

"I may be blonde, officer, but I'm not dumb. I have enough common sense to secure my apartment before I leave for the day, seeing as I live in a very big city now. Yes I locked it."

"You didn't make any other keys and hand them out to your friends?"

"The main doors of my apartment can only be opened if one of the residents buzzes you in. Since I was not home, I did not buzz anyone in."

"That wasn't the question that I asked."

"No, I didn't make any keys. I can't make spares unless there is another name on the lease; ask my landlord."

"We'll ask him about what he knows about the break-in as well. He still has the camera footage that was recorded from his security system, is that right?"

"As far as I know he does."

"Do you have any idea how long the letter had been on the table?"

"I left my apartment at 11:45 and didn't get back until sometime after six. I have no clue when it could have happened therefore I have no idea how long the letter was on the table."

"Have you cleaned your apartment since the incident?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"If the guy who left the letter left any evidence and you cleaned the place after he was there you could have destroyed it. Did you clean the apartment after you got the letter?"

"I may have a respect for cops and I understand that your job is stressful and that this case isn't all that 'important' to you officer, but my son wouldn't intentionally destroy evidence. Especially when he is the victim; need I remind you," Minato warned the man again. He focused a glare on the man; not as strong as an Uchiha's death glare but enough to get the message across. Minato hadn't gotten to be in his position by being a pushover. Sure he was a kind, gentle man but when push came to shove he knew when to get down to business and be serious.

"I'm just trying to be thorough so that our forensic analyst doesn't have a harder time," the officer hurriedly explained.

"No I didn't clean it but some things were moved around when a friend of mine and I installed my cameras. What else do you want to know officer?" Naruto asked, hoping to calm his father down a little bit and get back to the reason he was in this room.

"Do you own a printer?"

"Yes. I have to since I don't have that privilege on campus yet."

"Do we have your permission to search your computer?"

"Search? Why would you need to search my computer?" Naruto asked becoming defensive.

"Does our son need a lawyer present?" Kushina questioned the officer warily.

"No ma'am. Not unless he's done something to incriminate himself."

"What are you implying?"

"We're trying to get the facts straight here. The letters were typed, as detective Anko informed me earlier, so who's to say that he didn't make them himself to just start some drama?"

"Why would I do something like this to myself?! Why the fuck would I send myself stalker letters, useless trinkets and burned pictures of the guy I've been in love with for over half my life just to start drama?!"

"The guy you've been in love with? You're talking about Sasuke Uchiha?"

"That- I- wasn't-! That came out wrong! I meant love as in friend!"

"Naruto, stop kidding yourself; you still love Sasuke and you miss him. However officer that is no reason to ask Naruto these kinds of questions. You're supposed to be asking him about the letters he's been getting. Either get to them or we want another, more capable and tactful, boy in blue in here!" Kushina nearly roared at the arrogant man.

"And this is why I didn't want to work with a spoiled rich kid while his mommy and daddy stand over him, just waiting to wave around their authority and make things happen faster."

The door to the interrogation room opened and detective Morino emerged from the other side of the wall; his eyes hardened and his facial features furious.

"Officer Yomi, that's enough. Go take a walk."

The officer walked out of the room, sending a glare towards Naruto and his parents before Ibiki glared back at him and he scurried out of the room faster than before. Ibiki took his place and sat in front of Naruto.

"Sorry about that, kid. He's a rookie who thinks that this world owes him something."

"I understand you have a job to do, but I'm pretty sure I already told you everything that happened when you were at my place earlier, detective."

"Yes you did. He was supposed to be going over your options with you about how to handle the matter of your stalker and the youngest Uchiha."

"So why did he ask Naruto about the letters and suggest that he was writing them himself?"

"I have no idea but he'll be reprimanded. The chief is pretty strict on normal cases; high profile or not. Since he knows you it just lit a fire under him so he wants to get this taken care of and put behind you as soon as possible."

"Thank you detective. You're much more helpful than that other officer."

"I'm just doing my job Ms. Uzumaki."

"Can I ask when the Uchihas will be arriving? Mikoto and I want to fuss over each other's children when Sasuke gets here."

"They'll be here in another hour or so. There was a bit of a delay in their departure but everything is fine now."

"Delay? What do you mean delay? Did something happen to them?" Naruto questioned in a slight panic. If something had happened to Sasuke because of him he would never forgive himself.

"No, nothing happened to them Naruto, but we got some new information about the case and we wanted to follow up on it before the officers forgot about it. The two sent don't really write things down. They just sort of…roll with the punches."

"Is something going to happen?"

"It depends on what you define as something. For now let's get out of this dank room. I'll take you back to the waiting area by the chief's office."

The small, slightly paranoid family followed the man to where Naruto's parents had been waiting before Naruto came back with the chief from lunch. Kushina was scanning the room for a familiar face while Minato wrapped his arm around his frightened son's shoulder. Naruto had picked Kyuubi back up off of the floor he had previously jumped down to and was cradling him while the cat slept in comfort. Naruto let a small trace of a smile grace his whiskered face as his index finger traced the cats cheek and listened to the animal purr in content.

"Could I offer you guys some coffee, tea perhaps?" Ibiki asked politely.

"We're fine for now thank you, we would just like to be informed when the Uchiha family arrives," Kushina smiled at the man and shooed him away to go back to his work. Naruto sighed at his mother and she gave him a stern look.

"Naruto, don't you give me that face. I know you're still trying to sort out your feelings with Sasuke but this is a very serious matter."

"Mom what do you want me to do? I haven't spoken to him in months, he hasn't tried to contact me since the other day and now I'm going to be forced to see him again under a circumstance that shouldn't be happening! How the hell am I going to face him like this?!"

After Naruto's small outburst, he felt a stinging pain in his cheek and found himself looking on the other side of the room. He heard his father gasp and yell Kushina's name but all he did was raise a hand to the side of his face his mother had just slapped. He looked back at the woman, near tears and wide-eyed in shock. His mother had never hit him in the face before. Sure he had his fair share of spankings as a child but Kushina always made it a point to never harm his face. She had always said that if she would ever hit his face he would never get a girlfriend from the damage she would cause and that his face didn't need to be any worse than it already was. Naruto knew she meant it as a joke and would just laugh along with her. That had changed now it seemed and he was slowly reeling. The red haired beauty only lowered her hand and narrowed her eyes in warning. When she spoke it felt like needles were piercing him all over his body and his chest felt so heavy he thought he would collapse.

"Naruto. I did NOT raise a coward. My son would never run from something like this and that is exactly what you have been doing in these last few weeks. You've not only run away from your best friend, but you've run away from your feelings and from this stalker. You should have faced everything head on with your head held high and shoulders straight proudly. That is what the Naruto I raised would have done. I understand that Sasuke and Suigetsu hurt you by being in a relationship but it's also your own fault that you weren't honest with Sasuke in the first place. I also understand that you supported them as best you could, given your feelings in all of this but what you've been doing is no way to fix the problem. If anything you've only made it worse for yourself. Now because of your actions things have gotten out of hand and are spiraling down a road it never should have gone down. Don't misunderstand me, Naruto, I'm not blaming you. But this all could have been avoided if you had just manned up from the start. Right now, you're not my son."

"Kushina, please. This isn't what he needs right now," Minato offered his wife.

"I'm going out for a while to get some air. Stay with Naruto, Minato; I can't be in the same room with him right now. I'll be back when Mikoto and the others get here."

Naruto stood frozen as his mom had walked past him, glaring harshly and sending out cold waves of disappointment and anger towards him. She slammed the door and Minato sighed heavily and sat down on the couch. He looked at his son and noticed that tears had begun to fall down his cheeks. He got back up in order to pull Naruto down to sit with him.

"Your mother is right you know."

Naruto stayed quiet, trying to soak it all in. Her words had hit him hard and he didn't know how to take it.

"She didn't mean that last thing. She's just worried is all."

Naruto still remained quiet, staring blankly at the floor.

"Try to see it from our point of view son; what parent wants to hear that their child is being stalked by some maniac and all he did was push the issue under the rug until he got death threats? We raised you better than that."

"I didn't want to seem weak."

"What made you think that you would have been weak? Naruto there is no shame in asking for help; especially when it comes to your own safety."

"I knew that I ran from Sasuke…I knew I ran away from what I felt for him. But how was I supposed to act like she wanted when I didn't even know what was going on with _me_?"

"You should have told someone; anyone, at least about the stalker. It didn't have to be us; it could have been the police or even one of your teachers for goodness sake!"

"I knew that nothing could have been done at the time…I know more about the system than you do dad, and it's not like how it is on TV. You don't just waltz in and say 'hi I'm in trouble, drop what you're doing and help me!' That's not how it works; there are channels that people have to go through. Paperwork, statements, evidence, and a lot more than you think. I did what I could…and now mom thinks that I wasn't man enough to do anything about it."

"That's not what she thinks Naruto."

"Then why did she say that? You know her better than I do, and we both know she never says anything she doesn't mean."

"Naruto…she's just upset. She'll come back and smother you in hugs and kisses while she throws out apologies left and right, you'll see."

Naruto only nodded and leaned back onto the couch. Kyuubi was still in his arms but he was now awake and looking at his master in curiosity and what seemed to be a touch of pity. He had read that pets can often sense when their masters or their caretakers are disturbed and the cat seemed to be proving that theory correct. Naruto went back to stroking the animal's cheek and forty-five minutes later his mom walked back in the room, speaking worriedly with Mikoto Uchiha while Fugaku, Itachi and Sasuke followed them. The Uchiha family all gathering in the room with coffees in hands, grim looks on their faces and eyes filled with worry and a touch of fear. Minato stood up and shook Fugaku's hand as they exchanged greetings and concerns, and he did the same with Itachi and Sasuke. Sasuke didn't seem to pay attention to the older blonde as his gaze was directed strictly on Naruto. Feeling the dark eyes on him, Naruto lifted his head and looked back at the raven. Kushina stepped past Mikoto and walked over to Naruto. She grabbed his arm and roughly pulled him up to stand in front of the youngest Uchiha.

"Man up, Naruto. This is your mess, now you have to face it and clean it up."

"Kushina, have some pity on the boy it's not his fault that all of this is happening," Mikoto reprimanded her best friend. But still, she waited for the boys to speak. Everyone looked between the two boys waiting for someone to make the first move. Sasuke then narrowed his eyes, now directing a glare towards Naruto and spoke.

"Hello Naruto. Mind filling me in on the last two months?"

All Naruto could do was blink back his tears, and look down in shame.


	7. Chapter 7

**I know that some of you may be angry at me since I didn't update last week but I was just...a little shocked at the negativity Minato and Kushina got. You people have to understand why they're like the way they are right now. They're scared for their son and they're confused why he put himself through unnecessary pain, with the whole Sasuke thing. Yes, Naruto wouldn't come between Sasuke and somebody he was dating just to make himself happy, but Naruto also wouldn't have hidden his feelings for so long either. As far as Minato and Kushina go, I'm just...at a loss of how to explain it. It actually kinda threw me off to have such...harsh reviews about them. As a writer, I have to personally feel what my characters are feeling and to write them down like this takes a real emotional toll on me. The last chapter was one of the most draining ones that I've had to write and then it was so...I felt unwelcomed let's put it that way. I don't know...maybe it's just me and that's not how you guys meant it but it's how I felt. So let's see how you think about the Uchiha way of things with this chapter.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot and my slowly dying sanity from writing this. All rights and ownership of the Naruto franchise belong to Masashi Kishimoto and other such persons who claim legal rights.**

Just as Sasuke was about to walk to his fathers' office to report to him the piece of intriguing mail, two uniformed policemen stepped out of the elevator and walked towards Sasuke. Sasuke looked at their identification badges when they flashed them to him. The other workers in the office were peaking around the corners of their cubicles and over the tops of their computers in curiosity. Sasuke saw Shikamaru come out of the break room and then stop walking as he saw the policemen. His eyes widened before he tilted his head down and narrowed his eyes in thought. Sasuke was questioning himself as to why the lazy boy would do that but he figured that he was just curious to see why the boss's son was being addressed by the authorities.

"Officer Izumo and this is my partner officer Kotetsu. Are you Sasuke Uchiha?"

"What if I am?"

"We'll need you to come with us."

"I haven't done anything."

"We're not saying you have son, we just need you to come with us."

"I want your superior on the phone now. I demand to know what's going on," Sasuke stated while glaring at the two men in blue. Izumo, he never gave a last name, stood his ground while his partner backed away a little bit.

"All I can say is that it's not safe to talk here right now."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Gentlemen, is there a problem here?"

Sasuke's father hurried out of the elevator and rushed to his son's side. Putting a firm hand on Sasuke's shoulder, the older man stared down the two men accusingly. Sasuke looked at the hand warily and then focused his eyes back on the officers. Izumo stepped forward more and addressed Sasuke's father in a tone that revealed urgency and cooperation.

"Are you Mr. Uchiha's father?"

"Yes I am. Fugaku Uchiha and I would like to say it's a pleasure to meet you but under the circumstances I would be lying."

"We understand that this may be uncomfortable right now but we need to take your son down to our station. It would be best if you just followed us without asking too many questions right now."

"I said this before; I haven't done anything! Why should I go anywhere with you?!" Sasuke shouted, enraged by the men trying to force him to leave his work. Thoughts were swimming around in his head trying to come up with a reason as to why these people would be coming for him but he was coming up empty. He had never been a problem child; and as far as he knew he always followed the law to the best of his ability. So he had downloaded a few songs illegally but what kid in this day and age hasn't? It wasn't like he had done anything shady, hell he was practically a model citizen! Finally though, something in his brain went back to the mysterious letter in his hands. Did their presence have something to do with that? Then again he had just received the damn thing himself not ten minutes ago…so how the hell did the police know about it? Deciding to drop the matter for now, Sasuke just focused a glare towards the two men.

"Whatever it is that you need from my son, I assure you we'll cooperate within a certain limit. Why don't we talk in my office gentlemen? Sasuke, you come too."

"Yes father."

"Mr. Uchiha, sir, it really would be best if we just went to the station."

"We will go…after we speak privately."

"Fine, but we have to make this quick," Kotetsu finally spoke up.

"Ms. Sayumi, would you please inform my other son of this event and have him meet us in my office in ten minutes."

"Yes Mr. Uchiha, right away."

As the woman picked up the phone to connect to Itachi, the vice president of the company, the rest of the employees had gone back to their duties as they saw that the minor drama was over. Fugaku led the men and his son to the elevator he had just stepped off from and once they were all inside, he pressed the button for the top floor. They rode the box up the building and arrived at the top, and as the two officers stepped out and walked away a little ways, Sasuke waited until the policemen were out of hearing range to question his father.

"Father, what are these guys doing here? Why did they say that I have to come with them when I haven't done anything?"

"Let me handle this Sasuke; I know why they're here."

"You do?"

"Yes, and it involves you. You're not in trouble, but just don't say anything."

Sasuke grew worried at his father's tone and his attitude but kept himself quiet for the remainder of the trip to the older man's office. Coming to the end of the hallway and going past the secretary's desk, Fugaku opened the large mahogany doors to usher the group into his posh work space. There was a large desk in the middle of the room and two chairs set in front of it for his clients to sit at while they discussed business. On the far right side of the room was a liquor cabinet that housed his father's favorite scotch and gin along with a few bottles of champagne in the miniature refrigerator underneath the open space for the glasses. On the opposite side of the room was a TV stand complete with speakers, DVD/Blu-ray player, stereo and multiple other compartments filled to the brim with every season of multiple series of crime shows and detective dramas. You never knew when you would need some form of entertainment in the corporate jungle and his fathers' favorite relaxation therapy was a scotch on the rocks to accompany a crime drama or two. Sasuke had to admit that it was a nice way to unwind, but he wasn't of the legal drinking age and his father was too strict to allow him a glass or two when they were alone. In front of the TV were a few more comfortable chairs that reclined slightly to ease his fathers' back pain from sitting in his desk chair all day. Taking the mentioned desk chair, Fugaku sat down and motioned for the officers to do the same in the seats in front of him. Sasuke stood next to his father, letter still in his hand but he decided to not mention it for the time being, and waited until his older brother showed up. Five minutes later there was a knock on the door and his father bellowed 'come in' before Itachi Uchiha appeared in all his preened up glory.

Itachi had his hair tied back in its usual low ponytail while his bangs had been let down to frame his perfect face. The black suit, crisp white dress shirt, polished black shoes and hardened dark brown eyes made the twenty-four year old drop-dead gorgeous, even to the eyes of his family. However, because it was family looking at him, Sasuke could tell that his brother was a little worried and also maybe a little bit panicked. He had never been called to his father's office unless there was a scheduled meeting or an emergency business trip to go on and as far as he knew, Itachi was sure that all of those things had been taken care of for the quarter. Itachi's dark eyes looked around the room and finally noticed the policemen sitting opposite Fugaku's desk. Raising one eyebrow and looking back to his father and brother, Itachi spoke softly but sternly.

"Father, may I ask what it was that you needed me for?"

"Come stand by me and I'll explain everything. But first, I do believe that these men have some questions for your brother."

"Yes father."

Itachi stood on the other side of the desk than Sasuke, and mouthed to his younger brother 'what's going on' and Sasuke just shrugged his shoulders.

"Well gentlemen? Let's get down to the reason you're here. Your chief said on the phone that my son was in danger."

"Danger? When did this happen?" Itachi asked worriedly.

"I haven't been threatened by any of my raving fans have I?" Sasuke deadpanned.

"Sasuke, Itachi, please let the men answer," the older man reprimanded and then gestured for the police to continue.

"Yes, Mr. Uchiha we have a strong reason to believe that your son Sasuke is in danger."

"What was the threat made against him?"

"He's been targeted as a potential murder victim. We want to take him into protective custody and move him to a safe house until all of this is cleared up."

"Target? Murder? What the hell are you people on; I haven't done anything! Tell me what this is all about!"

"What is your connection to Naruto Uzumaki?"

At Kotetsu's question Sasuke's blood ran cold. His eyes widened and he lost his breath for a few moments. Itachi and Fugaku weren't much better but they could at least move their heads to look at him. Sasuke was growing paler and paler by the second and he was beginning to sweat. His shoulders began to shake and he could feel his knees grow weak. When Sasuke's brain processed that Naruto was somehow involved in all of this, on top of the letter he just received telling him to stay away, Sasuke knew that Naruto was also in harm's way. Taking in an unsteady breath and making a lousy attempt to calm himself down, Sasuke shook his head a little in order to think. It wasn't working too well as all he could focus on was the image of Naruto suffering and in pain while an unknown face towered over him with a weapon in his hand, laughing manically as he looked at the blonde at his feet. Breathing again and looking back towards the man who asked him the simple question, Sasuke found his courage to speak but he was ashamed to admit that he let the fear he felt show.

"Is Naruto okay?" Sasuke asked shakily.

"We asked first."

"He's my best friend but he hasn't spoken to me for a little over two months. Now answer me; is Naruto okay?!" he managed to growl out holding back his tears.

"Sasuke calm down, you're losing your composure and I expect better of you."

"Dad if I'm in danger then Naruto must be too!"

"Little brother, you're becoming hysterical; you need to calm down," Itachi tried to soothe the younger raven.

"No, you don't understand! I just got this handed to me by one of the secretaries here!"

Sasuke took out the piece of paper and showed everyone the strange letter but before his father could take it, Izumo had on a pair of latex gloves and took it from in between Sasuke's fingertips. The two officers examined the piece of paper before their expressions darkened and they both turned towards Sasuke. Fugaku stood up to shield his son from their looks but Sasuke stood firm and looked back at them.

"Sir, where and when did you get this?"

"One of the girls downstairs said that she found it in her mailbox today and gave it to me just before you got here."

"What time does the mail usually get dropped off here Mr. Uchiha?"

"It comes between nine and ten o'clock but it's already after two. If the woman just arrived for the start of her shift and just now received her mail, we have no way of knowing whether or not it came with the mail delivery this morning."

"Did this come with anything else, Sasuke?"

"No just the envelope and the message that was folded into an envelope."

"Have you gotten anything like this before now?"

"No. I get love confessions from my fan girls and a few of my fan boys every week, but I've never had anything like this come across my desk before."

"We'll have to keep this and tag it as evidence."

"Fine, I don't care. Now tell me what's going on with Naruto. Why does this involve me?"

"We're not going to sugar-coat this. Naruto Uzumaki has had a stalker for a while and just a couple hours ago, he received a letter that had pictures of you inside of it. The images were distorted by burn marks, dart holes, rips, tears, you name it. The letter addressed to Uzumaki stated that the sender was willing to kill for him and he made it clear that you would be the one to die," Izumo explained chewing on the stick of gum he just popped in his mouth. The other cop looked stone faced and calm but fidgeted in his seat trying to keep himself composed in the situation. He hadn't had to deal with kids before in this type of situation, and the reality of it all was sinking in quite deep.

"What? Naruto has a stalker? How long has this been going on?"

"From what we know and what the detectives understand, we're thinking around two or three months."

"He stopped talking to me two months ago. We graduated high school and I haven't seen or heard from him since," Sasuke hollowed out.

"It may be a coincidence then but we still have to take you down to the station to answer a few questions."

"Will Naruto be there? What are you doing to protect him?"

"He's at the station now talking with the chief but we're giving him a protection detail and may be moving him to a more secure location."

"Has he gotten letters before now?"

"According to the senior agent on the case he's gotten a total of nine if you count the one he received today."

"How many of them threatened me?"

"Looking at them, detective Ibiki says that only the last two mention hurting someone but the most recent one has your name in it."

"I called him earlier this week…I invited him out this weekend but he never called me back."

"It may have been a trigger to this guy, kid. We have no way of telling until we get the two of you in a room together."

"You mean me and Naruto?"

"Yes. Now do we have your permission to take you down to the station to answer some more questions?"

"He'll go with all of us. I'll take these two back home and inform their mother about everything and we'll follow you from there."

"If it gets you to come with us, then we'll have to do it your way. But Mr. Uchiha, we do have to be quick about this. If you're going to be packing anything, make sure it's only what you need."

"Father, what about Sasuke's schooling?"

"I can talk to the teachers so that they can give him some options about taking his final early so he can be on leave sooner than the other students. This is serious Itachi. I won't risk his safety just so he can take a test we know he's going to get perfect marks on in a week."

"I'm still here you know. I can hear everything you say; seeing as you're not trying to be discreet in any way."

"Little brother, this isn't something we can overlook either. Your college education is important as well as your safety."

"I'm more concerned about Naruto's safety. He's the one that's been dealing with this for the past couple months – and he just started school again."

"Gentlemen, can we please get going? We have to have you back at the station as soon as possible," Kotetsu jabbed.

"Forgive us, we can go now," Fugaku said.

The three Uchiha men walked out of the office and to the elevator with the police following them. Heads turned as they reached the lobby and several sets of eyes followed them out to the parking garage. The officers got into their cruisers and waited until the Uchihas were on the road so that they could follow them. Sasuke and Itachi were in the backseat of the 2015 Maserati Gran Turismo convertible as their father sped along the highway and through uptown suburbia to pull into the garage that housed the other expensive and luxurious vehicles the Uchihas owned. Sasuke's Lamborghini Huracan and Itachi's Aston Martin Vanquish were still at the office of course but their mother's Mustang Cobra was parked perfectly next to his fathers' Maserati. They all left the garage and waited for the police to exit their vehicle. Fugaku and Itachi entered the house first, followed by Izumo and Kotetsu as Sasuke just stood in the doorway. His mind was swimming with scenarios of what had happened to the boy he loved. He was filled with regrets from the past year and he almost choked on the heaviness it caused. Naruto was his everything and if the blonde was hurt Sasuke didn't know what he would do. He wondered for a minute if this was possibly the reason behind the silence between them but he wouldn't allow himself to get his hopes up too high just yet.

"Sasuke, stop standing in the doorway and come inside. Don't be rude to our guests now."

"Forgive me, father," Sasuke muttered as he stepped over the threshold and into the grand foray that was the Uchiha mansion.

"Officers, if you could follow my elder son into the living room and patiently wait for us to gather a few things it would be most appreciated. Itachi don't forget your manners now."

"Of course, father. If you two would be so kind as to follow me, the living room is right this way. May I offer you some tea or coffee while you wait?"

"Coffee would be great for the ride back but it's not needed right now thanks," Izumo answered brashly.

"Can I offer some snacks in the meanwhile?"

"Nothing for me; Kotetsu, you want anything?"

"I'm okay for the time, thank you."

With that Itachi lead the men to the room directly on the left as Fugaku guided Sasuke into the kitchen to talk to Mikoto. The beautiful woman stood in her long dress and apron pacing in front of the sink until she laid her eyes on her youngest son. She rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he bent down to lay his head on her shoulder. Mikoto was tall, standing at 5'11" but Sasuke towered over her at 6'2' so the task was a little uncomfortable for the boy but he dealt with it as he started to tear up in the comfort of his mother's arms.

"Shh, shh baby, we're here. Naruto is going to be okay and we won't let anything happen to you."

"You know it's…it's about Naruto?" Sasuke asked through tears and slight hiccups.

"I just got off the phone with Kushina. She and Minato are on their way to the station to be with him right now," she answered cupping her son's cheek and smiling at him.

"Minato's home already?" Fugaku asked his wife.

"His plane landed an hour ago and Kushina called him as he was on his way home. She said he walked through the door, grabbed Naruto's cat and Kushina's arm and then rushed back into his car."

"It sounds like something he would do. Sasuke, we'll get things in order down here. Why don't you go upstairs and pack a bag for a few nights worth of clothes. Once you're done, come back down to the living room and we'll be on our way as well. I'm going to ask to speak with the chief of police in the meantime."

Sasuke nodded his head, wiped his eyes and hugged his mother again as he walked out of the kitchen and up the marble staircase, traversed the right hallway and entered the room at the end of the hall. His room was elegant and decorated in a royal blue, white and gray theme. Three walls were white and the one his double king sized bed was pressed against was a light gray. On either side of the bed was a small table that a lamp stood on, along with his phone charging pad, alarm clock and other 'personal' items. The carpet was a royal blue that surrounded the Uchiha fan in the center and it complemented the black TV/audio set that adorned the far right side of the room. His three game stations, media storage and 60" TV were all supported by the polished black wood as two microfiber plush bag chairs sat in front of it to act as his gaming/lounge chairs. Sasuke walked over to the left wall and opened his 6'x9' walk-in closet and picked out a few pairs of jeans, shirts, lounge pants and T-shirts to bring along to the police station. He crouched down in front of two drawers and brought out his boxers, socks and undershirts as well as his suitcase. Throwing the clothes inside, not worrying about space management and order, he slammed the case closed and zipped it up. Closing the closet after leaving it, he walked to his adjoining bathroom to grab his toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, face wash, deodorant and other toiletries he would need and put them all into the sizable front pouches of his suitcase. After that was done, Sasuke pulled the handle out from the top and dragged it behind him as he rushed back downstairs to meet his family and the officers.

When Sasuke walked in the living room, his mother was silent, his brother was stone-faced as usual and his father was sitting beside his mother holding her hand on top of her thigh. Red flags shot up in Sasuke's head and something told him that something must have happened while he was upstairs. He looked around and noticed that both of the policemen weren't in the room.

"They got a phone call little brother. Now that you're here we can follow them to the station. They have a few questions for you."

"Has something happened? Is Naruto okay?!"

"Things are quiet for now Sasuke, and Naruto made it to the station just fine."

"Then why do all of you so cryptic?"

"We're just taking the situation in sweetie. It's a lot to happen. Especially since Naruto hasn't spoken to you for so long."

"If you're thinking that this is his fault then you're wrong! It's not his fault that he's got a stalker! Hell he had one in high school!"

His exclamation caused his family's heads to perk up in interest and their faces to morph into expressions of fear and slight pain. Had they known what was happening in the blonde's school life, they could have done something to potentially help the situation. That is if this was the same person. Sasuke's brother was the first one to speak.

"When did all of this happen?"

"Naruto didn't even know about it back then. It was sophomore year that I first noticed someone staring at him too long in the hallways."

"Did Minato and Kushina know about this?"

"I told them that someone had their eye on Naruto but they just thought that it was 'about time' and that if something happened, they would support him."

"Do you know who it was Sasuke? This could be relevant to what's happening now."

"No it's not. It was a girl and she moved to the other side of the country before…before senior year started."

"So what makes you think she hasn't come back?" Fugaku questioned.

"I don't think she would have come back here; she moved all the way to Kiri. And even if she did, there was another boy in class two years ahead of us that moved with her."

"And what if she moved back without you knowing? She may even be going to school with Naruto now," Itachi responded.

"Didn't the police say they thought it was a guy that was writing to Naruto?" Sasuke questioned.

"He has a point, Itachi. Just keep this little tidbit of information between the four of us for now and if the police ask about it then bring it up."

"Yes mother. Shouldn't we leave now? I want to see my dobe before anything happens to him."

"Of course, let's go. And Sasuke…make sure that when you see Naruto you're honest with him this time. He's been through enough as it is; he shouldn't have to deal with any awkwardness from what happened while you two were still in school."

"Yes mother…I'll be sure to explain everything."

Mikoto shot a smile to her youngest child and grabbed the hand that wasn't hold his suitcase to guide him out the door and to the vehicle they would be following the police in. Fugaku and Itachi followed the matriarch and the baby of the family and grabbed the keys to the Buick Enclave 2015. It was one of the cheaper vehicles in the collection but it held the family of four with space to spare and it was still comfortable for long drives. Konoha University was about two hours away and Sasuke suspected that the police station wasn't far from it, judging by Naruto's presence there. In a way Sasuke was both dreading and looking forward to seeing his blonde again. The pain from the silence these last two months was slowly starting to kill him and if he found out that it was caused by some freak with a love for creeping people out, then Naruto would be in for more than just a shouting match and a smack to the back of his head.

The raven dreaded seeing Naruto again for the reason of discovering just why the communication between them had stopped. He had two reasons that he could think of right of the top of his head and neither were very good. The first was the obvious fake relationship with Suigetsu, and the other was due to the stalker's presence. Sasuke hoped that Naruto had more faith in him if the second reason was the case. Somebody like this couldn't intimidate Sasuke in a million years. Hell he had his fair share of crazies who sent letters to him and Naruto knew that. Harmless as they were, Sasuke was used to them if not a little freaked out when they arrived in his mailbox. Still though, if Naruto's stalker had threatened Sasuke from the beginning it would explain why they hadn't spoken or if Naruto was afraid of Sasuke getting hurt. None of Sasuke's stalkers had ever threatened to kill him or anyone else he associated with for that matter so he could only imagine how Naruto reacted to the threat. Knowing Naruto's personality well enough, the youngest Uchiha could only guess that he threw up and panicked for a while before he finally broke down and called the police. Sasuke could feel himself getting angry with Naruto if that was the case; he could've protected himself and Naruto if he had just told Sasuke about it. Then again, thinking back to the talk he, his father and his brother had with the policemen earlier at work, none of the letters mentioned anything about him or anyone else until the last two were sent.

And that brought Sasuke to the reason he was looking forward to seeing his love again. Not only did he miss the blonde with a passion but he wanted to make sure that he was safe and out of danger with his own eyes, ears, and arms. Sasuke wanted to protect Naruto, even if Naruto didn't want it. Regardless of the reason Naruto was avoiding him Sasuke would be glad for this chance to clear things up and maybe put his feelings on the line. If the stalker was the cause of the silence, then Sasuke would be pissed beyond belief, but if the fake relationship with Suigetsu was the reason…then Sasuke could only blame himself and hope Naruto would forgive him after he explained everything. That is if Naruto let him explain himself. From what Sasuke could gather, Shikamaru and Naruto were friends so there was a chance that Naruto already knew about the faked relationship but then again Shikamaru was a very lazy bastard that may find 'gossip' to be too troublesome to bother with. Plus he had no evidence that he was ever brought up in a conversation with Naruto. Looking out the window of the Buick, he let his mind swim for a while before they stopped at a coffee shop. Glancing around to get a feel for where they were, Sasuke determined that they were only another hour from the police station, so why the hell were they stopping for coffee when his blonde dobe was in trouble?! Sasuke looked up to the front seat of the car to ask his father why they stopped but didn't find the man or his mother. Beside him, Itachi was looking at him while he leaned on his arm.

"Why the hell are we stopping?"

"The two officers got a lead and they want to follow up on it. Apparently it led us here so we thought that some fresh coffee and a pastry or two wouldn't hurt. Mother and father already went inside. They asked me to stay behind in case you said you wanted something, since they couldn't get you to answer them when they asked."

"How long is this going to take?"

"Be patient, little brother. We'll make it there before Naruto leaves the station for the night."

"That's not what I'm worried about; I want to make sure he's safe with my own eyes before anything else happens."

"You've always been very protective of him Sasuke so I can only imagine how much this is affecting you right now. For now all we can do is let the police handle it and hope for the best until we arrive."

"What if their 'best' isn't good enough?"

"We can only hope it is. His parents are with him now as well."

"They're probably just making him feel guilty about the whole thing. Naruto isn't the type to run to the police about something like this. He would try to handle things on his own first."

"Do you think that's why he bought the cameras earlier this week?"

"It may be but I have no way of knowing right now. If I call him…do you think he'll answer me?"

"I don't know, Sasuke. All you can do is try," Itachi offered. The older raven got out of the car but left the door open.

"Do you want anything, little brother? I'm going to get a soft pretzel and a macchiato so tell me now before I leave."

"If they have it, then get me a pizza pretzel and a plain coffee with two vanilla creamers."

"And if they don't have the pretzel?"

"Then the drink is fine. Now go; feed yourself."

"You don't have to tell me twice, Sasuke."

Itachi shut the door and Sasuke watched as he sauntered in to the coffee shop. Sasuke waited a few more seconds before he pulled out his phone and pulled up his contacts screen. He scrolled down until he found what Naruto titled himself 'if I'm dobe, you're teme' and pressed the call button. Pressing the device to his ear, he heard the dial tone for about a minute before he got Naruto's voicemail message. Unlike his message before though, that he had gotten last week when he called, the voice Naruto used to record this message sounded rushed; scared and lonely.

 _"_ _It's Uzumaki. I didn't answer because I don't know your number or I didn't get to my phone in time. Either leave a message or you dialed the wrong number, so please don't call again."_

Sasuke was shocked for a few seconds, not believing that his dobe had been so shaken. He almost sounded like a different person entirely. Finally hearing the telltale 'beep' to leave a message, Sasuke said who he was and that he was on his way to the police station as soon as the coffee break was over. Hanging up, Sasuke closed his eyes and tried to imagine what Naruto looked like right now. All he saw was his blonde huddled up in a corner with his knees drawn to his chest and tears streaming down his face. Naruto almost never cried, but when he did people paid attention to things they otherwise wouldn't have. They saw how dark or how dim his eyes would get and how his posture just seemed so forced. Sasuke never liked seeing him like that and he hoped that his love could at least rely on his parents until he got there.

The Uchiha family all filed into the car in a matter of seconds it seemed to the youngest of the bunch and he was almost hit in the face by his pretzel. Itachi barked his name to grab his attention and Sasuke quickly relieved his brothers' hand of the hot dough and mozzarella cheese with a pepperoni dipping sauce. Sasuke also took the coffee from Itachi as well before he climbed into his seat with his own refreshment and snack in hand. Fugaku and Mikoto were a little smarter about their method of entry, as they placed their coffees into the cup holders before they climbed in. Mikoto looked back in the back seat to check on her boys and she smiled warmly at Sasuke.

"I know it's not your usual pizza pretzel that you get at the café you always went to with Naruto, but that's what they had. Maybe we can all go out to dinner tonight if everything checks out okay when we get to the police station."

"Yes mother," Sasuke answered in a small voice. He had recalled the café she was talking about vividly and he hadn't been able to set foot in the quaint little place in weeks. He actually had to find another place to get his coffee before classes started, or he just made some at home before he left because the memories haunted him so badly.

The rest of the car ride was silent until they pulled up to the parking garage for the police cruisers. Izumo and Kotetsu directed Fugaku to another outdoor lot used for the officer's own vehicles and those of the families of victims who were still at the station. Sasuke looked around the lot after they parked and got out of the vehicle to see if he could spot Naruto's parents car but didn't see it anywhere in the immediate area. Looking towards the officers, Sasuke focused his eyes in a glare and addressed the two.

"When can I see Naruto?"

"First, we have to get you inside. Then we have to talk to the chief about letting you in to see him. If it's safe, then we'll take you to him but not a moment before the boss says so," Izumo said.

"Is the boy still here or is he in protective custody already?" Fugaku asked.

"He should still be here; there was a lot to go through with him."

"He must be so scared. Poor Naruto, he doesn't deserve this," Mikoto commented.

"He'll be okay mother, he's getting the help he needs right now in order to stop this guy. You'll see. He'll be back in our lives in no time."

"Not that I don't like talking here, but can we get this over with so I can see the dobe?!"

"I agree. We can get to the nitty-gritty part of the investigation once you're inside and secure. Follow us; we'll take you to the chief." Kotetsu guided the family inside and led them around the bullpen and stopped in front of a door with the name 'Hiruzen Sarutobi' and the lettering 'chief of police' under it. Sasuke could only guess what this man was like but having a respect for authority and a hope that he would help his blonde, Sasuke took a breath to gather the confidence he needed to face him. Izumo knocked on the door and they all heard a 'come in' before it was swung open. Sasuke saw an elderly man, maybe too old for the job, but he observed that he was lean and kind. His smile at the family was warm and his handshake was firm, almost painful if he squeezed a little tighter.

"You must be Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha. I'm sorry that we have to meet under such grim circumstances but I'm pleased to meet you all the same. My name is Hiruzen Sarutobi, but you can call me Hiruzen. Such titles as 'chief' and 'sir' don't really suit me anymore," he said before he laughed lightly.

"We had no idea that you were a policeman now, Mr. Sarutobi! We thought you had just retired from the core and went to the tropics with your wife!"

"Well Mrs. Uchiha that was the plan but then we had our first grandchild and she decided she wanted to stay here to help raise him. You know how my Biwako is with children!"

"I'm happy you all know each other but can we get this over with so that I can finally see Naruto?"

"Sasuke, don't be rude," Fugaku reprimanded.

"No no it's quite alright. Naruto is with his mother and father right now so why don't we give them some time to collect their thoughts and we'll ask you some questions Sasuke. Does that sound fair?"

"Fine, but I had better see him right after we're done."

"Agreed. Now I'm sure you know the reason you were brought here, but have you ever gotten something like a threat before now? I know about the letter you received today so do you remember getting anything before that?"

"I get letters all the time from my fan club but I never got anything like that one. Usually they're all harmless declarations of love and devotion with the occasional lock of hair or photograph, but they all either come in boxes or in the mail."

"Have you ever had someone follow you home or notice someone paying more attention to you than normal?"

"Sir, I'm an Uchiha. We always get looked at and there is always someone around the corner. Lately though, there hasn't been much of that since I've been…moping."

"I told you he was moping," Itachi blurted out and Sasuke could only glare at him. Itachi smirked in a way only big brothers could when they were right, but not rubbing it in.

They went over some other general stuff, such as where Sasuke was going to school and if there was anyone who was trying to get too close to him. Sasuke answered as best he could and then brought up the other 'stalker' Naruto had in high school. Sarutobi wrote down all of the details of the girl Sasuke gave him and put it in a file with Naruto's name on it.

"Can I see him now?"

"I don't see the harm in it. From what I can gather you two _need_ to see each other."

"Thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

**!PLEASE READ THE AN!**

 **Well this is what you people have been waiting for! It's not as intense or as revealing as I wanted it to be but at least it's happening. It's the confrontation between Sasuke and Naruto! Also some of Kushina's behavior from two chapters ago is elaborated on since you guys still seem to be hating her, but I don't think you guys are going to be changing your minds. Oh well, I like her for better or worse. And the Uchiha family is insanely out of character, but this is how I wanted them to be from the beginning so those of you who don't agree, please don't complain about how I write my stories and the characters I use. On another note, if you guys want the chapters to continue being this long I may need about two weeks between update times for writing, editing and proofreading. I'm going to let you guys vote on it but I'll need about 10 votes in total. Also if the chapters stay this long, I would like an average of 10-15 reviews per chapter. You don't have to, but I don't get paid to do this and writing something this long really takes is out of me.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot and maybe the occasional OC but I don't have any in this story. All rights and ownership of the Naruto franchise and characters belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and other such affiliations who claim LEGAL rights. Also the Pepsi company owns Sprite and Crush so please don't sue me for using their brand-names. I'm not clever enough to make up my own for a lemon-lime and orange drink :(**

Sarutobi lead them all out of his office and took them to the room that was across the hall from the bullpen. Sasuke could see Kushina pacing back and forth in front of a vending machine and noticed that she was speaking to herself in a hushed but angry voice. Sasuke's mother walked over to her and attempted to put an arm around her shoulder. Not expecting the touch, Kushina jumped slightly and nearly elbowed Mikoto in the face due to her military training, but relaxed as soon as she recognized her. Fugaku and Itachi made their way over to the two women leisurely as Sasuke groaned at being delayed, yet again, from seeing his dobe.

"Oh Mikoto I feel terrible right now. What kind of mother am I?"

"Naruto will be fine, Kushina you'll see. And it's not your fault that this happened."

"I'm so horrible…I did that to my baby when he felt so miserable!"

"Oh my Kushina, what happened?" Mikoto asked stunned to hear her friend speak that way about herself.

"I was so upset about everything that I just didn't think. He didn't want to face everything and I just snapped and said I couldn't be anywhere near him." The red head was very close to crying but Mikoto comforted her with a hug. Sasuke meanwhile just wanted to go ape-shit on the woman for doing something so stupid!

"I'm sure Naruto doesn't hold anything against you Kushina; I'm sure he'll understand one day how we parents feel about our babies when they're in danger."

"What does he think of me that he wouldn't tell me he was in trouble? I know he liked to do things on his own and his own way but to not even tell me... And now everything's just gotten so dangerous and I can't help my baby!"

"Take a breath honey and slow down! Can you tell us what all happened to Naruto?"

"Nothing 'bad' happened to him per say; just the letters. But why didn't he come to me when he first got them? He always showed me all of the letters he got in high school, so why not this one?"

"He probably wanted to keep it to himself so that he could think about it on his own. Naruto is a dobe like that."

"Sasuke! Oh my God, are you okay?! I heard that you got a letter too and that you were coming. You're not hurt or anything?"

"The only 'hurt' or 'anything' I'm feeling is anger because I haven't seen Naruto yet! I'm serious; when are we going to see him?!" Sasuke raged, about to throw the closest object at the hysterical woman.

"He's with Minato in the family room. I don't know how he is right now; I've been out here for the last half hour."

"Why aren't you with him?" asked Mikoto.

"I lost my temper and slapped him when he said that he didn't know how he would handle seeing Sasuke," she slurred out while looking at her feet. Sasuke could feel his eyes widen in both hate and surprise. His shoulders tensed and he ground his teeth trying to prevent the inevitable explosion he was sure to have. His mother beat him to it though, but was a lot calmer and more collected than he was.

"Why would you slap him for that, Kushina? Naruto isn't the only one at fault for their separation. We all played our own roles in it. We shouldn't have just let these two hard-heads sort it out for themselves; all of us should have done something to help them. I know that your thoughts and feelings are in a chaotic state right now, but think of how he feels. Naruto must be scared, not only because of the stalker but also of his feelings for Sasuke."

"Mother should we be saying this in front of Sasuke?" Itachi interrupted. Mikoto looked at him and then at her other child but only continued what she was saying.

"Naruto is more like you in some ways but in this case it's Minato he took after. What my son did wasn't exactly the wisest thing to do, since he wasn't completely honest from the beginning but he is sincere about his love for your son. Naruto must not have seen that since Sasuke and that other boy were together. I'm not too sure just how much Naruto saw or what all happened but Naruto was deeply hurt by it. He was just trying to get away from it until he could face it. Now though he has no choice and Sasuke and Naruto both could get hurt."

"I know all of that Mikoto but the whole situation with Sasuke could have been avoided if Naruto just confessed before the other boy came into the picture."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait…Naruto should have what?!" Sasuke sputtered shock evident on his face at the words that flowed from his beloved's mother's mouth.

"I'm actually surprised he didn't do anything. He loves you Sasuke, and all of us here know it. We also know how you love him."

"My family knows because I told them but…how did you figure it out?!"

"I'm a mother. I know these things."

"Ladies, children…I think we have to see Naruto now. Preferably before all of this reaches him through the proverbial grape-vine."

"Good point Fugaku. Come on, Kushina let's go."

"I'm still a little angry at him but if he says he loves Sasuke now I'll forgive his behavior over the last two months."

"It's not his fault in the first place; there should be nothing to forgive," Sasuke muttered to himself.

"So Kushina, can you lead them to where your husband and son are? I was on my way to do the same thing but when I looked back they weren't behind me," Sarutobi said with a chuckle.

"Of course I can, sir. Just like in my military training, you can leave everything to me."

Kushina led the Uchiha family to the room where her husband and son were staying after they said good-bye to the chief and opened the door, all the while talking with Mikoto about what would happen from here on out as long as the stalker was present. Sasuke saw his father and brother look towards both of the blondes on the couch and although he himself had wanted to see Naruto, this is not what he expected to find. His Naruto…his sunshine was dull, lifeless and exhausted. The stalker must have had more of an effect on him than Sasuke first realized, not to even mention the drama between the two of them. Sasuke's heart felt like it would be crushed by the weight of the guilt and if there was anything he could do to make Naruto's suffering go away, he would gladly step up to the plate and do everything in his power to make it happen. It was his entire fault anyway that Naruto had more to deal with than just college and this stalker. Well the stalker bit wasn't his fault; that was the creep who decided to torture his idiot. Minato stood up to shake their hands and greet them but Sasuke wasn't paying any attention to him and focused solely on Naruto. However he did hear Minato say something to his father about how nervous he was to see Sasuke and that he didn't know what to do. That increased the guilt ten-fold. It wasn't the stalker that had him so tired – it was him. Sasuke knew he was to blame for the silence, he knew that it was his fault for chasing Naruto away. But it wasn't anybody's fault for what the stalker creep was trying to do to the both of them. Sasuke took a few steps towards Naruto and the blonde must have felt the onyx eyes focused on him. Naruto looked to his lap, where Sasuke noticed a kitten was laying, and then he lifted his head to meet Sasuke's eyes. Rage built up inside of the raven when he saw how lifeless and tired they were. Rage at himself and at the bastard who put Naruto through all of this stress. Kushina, having enough of the two just looking at each other, stormed over to her son and yanked him up to stand in front of Sasuke. Naruto looked hurt and Sasuke could add Naruto's fiery mother to the causes of his building rage.

"Man up, Naruto. This is your mess, now you have to face it and clean it up," Kushina nearly growled at him. Naruto winced and Sasuke glared, not knowing how else to contain his rage at the moment. He honestly didn't mean to direct it towards Naruto, but he was too angry to help it.

"Kushina, have some pity on the boy it's not his fault that all of this is happening," Mikoto chimed in. But still, she waited for the boys to speak. Everyone looked between the two boys waiting for someone to make the first move. Sasuke decided to make that move.

"Hello Naruto. Mind filling me in on the last two months?"

Sasuke noticed the tears, and Naruto looked down at his feet.

"Mind telling me if you're mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you? My mom is right, this isn't your fault."

"Then why are you giving me those 'kill somebody' vibes right now?" Naruto asked choking back a sob.

"Because I do want to kill somebody…just not you. Never you. Now do you mind explaining some things?"

"You first…." Naruto said a bit cryptically. Sasuke tensed his shoulders a bit and felt the eyes of everyone else in the room bore into the back of his head expecting him to answer. It seemed like Sasuke would have to expose weakness in front of everyone; something he didn't really want to do.

"Kushina! Minato! We were discussing in the car about going out for dinner tonight if the police can handle the situation with the boys for right now. Would you like to join us while we look around the city to find somewhere the two boys would like to go? I'm sure that they'll be hungry by the time all of this is done," Mikoto burst out.

Itachi and Fugaku only looked at her with raised eyebrows and wide eyes at her outburst but quickly caught on to what she was trying to do. Itachi smirked and glanced at Sasuke, who hadn't stopped looking at Naruto since they all entered the room. He then nodded his head and proceeded to the door as he waited for the Namikaze-Uzumaki parents to follow.

"Mikoto…but don't you want to-"

"We'll have to find a place that both of them like – I know how picky Naruto is with what he eats. And you know how Sasuke doesn't like crowds much either," the Uchiha matriarch kept going. Finally Kushina got the hint and shot a worried look to her son. Minato smiled and put a hand on her shoulder and answered for her.

"I suppose we could take a drive to find something nearby. I'll speak with Mr. Sarutobi about what they still need to go over with us before we leave. Fugaku, do you want to take your car or mine?"

"We brought the Enclave so it will fit more people. I'm sure that the five of us couldn't all fit into your Jaguar if that's what you drove."

"Don't be mean, Fu. You know I love that thing."

"We'll take mine nonetheless."

"You two boys behave now and wait RIGHT HERE for us until we get back. If you're not in this room when we return, unless the police take you somewhere else, you're going to be grounded. I don't care if you're both in college and could bench press both Kushina and me, but we're your mothers and we aren't afraid to bend you over our knees and give you a good few smacks. We'll text you when we've found a place so bye-bye for now!"

"I think it would be better to text Sasuke to make sure he gets the message. Naruto doesn't have his phone on him at the moment," Minato offered further. He knew his son was just as uncomfortable with the whole situation as Sasuke was and that Sasuke was going to be more collected.

"Good idea, Minato! Sasuke, your father or your brother will text you as soon as we all agree on where we're eating. Don't kill each other while we're out. We'll see you soon!"

Mikoto grabbed Kushina's arm and practically dragged her out of the room while Minato and the two other Uchihas filed out calmly. Before Mikoto pulled the door shut after everyone had left, she sent a wink to Sasuke and he gave a tiny appreciative smile to her before she left. He focused back on Naruto and he noticed that he still had the cat cradled in his arms – even after being forced to stand like he had been. The little being was staring him down threateningly and Sasuke could hear a low hiss come from the creature. Otherwise the being was quite cute with its orange, almost red, fur and wide yellow eyes. There was a patch of white and black on its chest, truly a unique color blend for a breed of cat like this one. He assumed it was a Somali by the way it looked but he couldn't be sure if it was a purebred or a mix of something. Not only that but it was still a kitten and hidden mostly by Naruto's arms. Naruto placed a hand over the top of its head to quiet the fluff ball before he sat down again and gave out a rather heavy sigh.

"Your mom sure knows how to help a situation. I almost forgot that about her."

"She's good with things like this. So, um…do you want a drink or anything?"

"Don't act so weird Sasuke…concern right now doesn't suit you since you're covering up that bottled rage at the moment."

"Concern is what I feel right now and I guess this is just how I present it."

"You were never very good at showing the real you to anyone else. Except maybe Suigetsu."

"We'll get to that. But first do you want a drink?"

"Sure, why not? It gives me something to choke on other than the lump in my throat."

"You and me both."

Naruto finally looked at him again; making eye contact for only the second time in two months and Sasuke felt like the world was just so dark. Some of the light was coming back but it was only a small flicker of hope in the otherwise dim blue pools. Conveniently there was a vending machine in the room and Sasuke had his wallet on him instead of his suitcase. He pulled out a couple of ones and inserted them into the slot before he punched the buttons for a Sprite and a Crush. Walking back to the blonde and handing him the Crush, Sasuke pulled up one of the chairs that were in the room before he sat down in front of Naruto. Opening his Sprite and taking a quick swig of the lemon-lime fizzy drink he leaned forward and looked Naruto in the eyes once more before he got this whole uncomfortable thing straightened out.

"Tell me what you want to know."

Naruto put his kitten down beside him, the creature meowing in protest, before he too cracked open his soda and took a drink. After he was done, he put the cap back on the bottle and leaned back so that his head rested on the back of the couch he was sitting on.

"So how is Suigetsu doing?"

"He's fine from what I know. He moved back to where he used to live before he transferred to our school."

"Do you still keep in contact? Long distance relationships are pretty tough."

"We email every now and then. Besides the whole thing isn't really how you think it is."

"We'll see about that then."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't really know where to start if I'm honest."

"Why not the beginning?"

"What do you consider the beginning, Sasuke?" Naruto asked hollowly. His voice was drained and he looked about read to collapse.

"Do you want me to ask the important questions first then?"

"Why not? It would be a little easier if I knew what I was supposed to explain to you about the last two months."

"You told me to go first though."

"I take it back then. You go first."

"Normally you would compete with me about who goes first. Now you're letting me?" Sasuke taunted trying to make things more comfortable for the blonde. He didn't care if he himself was suffering, but Naruto had enough on his plate to work with right now. He got the desired result as Naruto let out a light chuckle and looked at him.

"It's not me letting you ask first, it's me getting to answer you first."

"And you would normally want answers first."

"Are we going to continue this or is someone going to ask the other one something?" he replied grumpily.

"Why did you avoid me?" Sasuke asked with his head down. It wasn't a hard question to answer, but Naruto's reply would either bring him relief to know it wasn't all his fault or more grief to know that it all could have been avoided if he was honest in the first place.

"You'll get mad if I answer. Pick another question for now."

"Don't beat around the bush Naruto. It's not you if you do that, so just tell me!"

"Ask another question, and I'll come back to that one."

"Then did you avoid me because of this stalker you have or because of what happened during senior year with Suigetsu?"

"That's the same question!"

"No it's not; I gave you options to choose from instead of a way to avoid it."

"I told you that you'd be mad at me if I answered it right now!"

"And pray tell, why would I be mad at you?!"

"Because you'll think I was just being stupid as always! Don't even try to deny it either!"

"I'll only think you were being stupid if you avoided me because of the stalker, but I wouldn't be mad at you," Sasuke replied and grabbed his arm that was hanging at his side. The pain coursing through it from the guilt was coming back to the surface and it was worse than before. He shifted his eyes down so that Naruto wouldn't be able to look in them. Sasuke missed how Naruto's eyes widened and a flash of hope flashed across them.

"If…if I tell you why…then you have to tell _me_ why."

"I can do that."

"It was because you looked so happy with Suigetsu and you kept inviting me to hang out on your dates with him. I felt that…I was being forgotten. When you tried to hang out with me after that, I…I didn't have the courage anymore to face you by myself."

"So it _is_ my fault that you couldn't face me."

"I can't blame you for being with him if you liked him. But then…when I got out here I realized how much I missed you and then I got some…interesting news."

"You know Shikamaru. I already know what you're going to ask me."

"Do I have to say it then?"

"I asked my most important question."

"Did you fake the relationship with Suigetsu?"

Naruto slowly brought his eyes up to meet Sasuke's. The blue pools Sasuke saw screamed 'tell me dammit' and the Uchiha wasn't about to lie this time around. Although he didn't want to lie, he had to know if his plan had worked or if it was all in vain and the two month silence was for nothing.

"Did it make you jealous?"

"You can't answer me like that, dammit! Just tell me!"

"Did. It. Make. You. Jealous?"

Naruto bowed his head and a few small tears dropped to his thighs. He didn't think he would cry from this but the stress was getting to him. Did he answer truthfully and potentially put Sasuke at a greater risk because of his stalker? Or did he deny the truth and cause even more pain for what seemed to be everyone around him? Naruto had to admit that it made him seem terribly weak and he hated the vulnerable feeling it gave him.

"You're not being fair."

Sasuke let out a soft sigh and slid off the chair so that he was kneeling down in front of Naruto. He took his chin in between his index finger and his thumb, lifting the blonde's head so that he could look him in the eyes.

"I know. Yes, I faked it all but Naruto, I have to know."

"If you faked it all then why did it go on for so damn long?!" the blonde yelled and punched Sasuke in the face before he stood up in a rush. The raven fell back landing on his bottom while his back dug into the edge of the chair behind him. He knew he deserved the hit, so he let it slide and just continued to look at his dobe, ignoring the stinging in his cheek and the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. Sasuke knew Naruto could hit harder than that but he might have knocked a tooth loose with that hit. Still though, if a tooth was the price to pay to clear the air with the love of his life then so be it.

"I can't believe you would do something like that! Did you think about the people you would hurt?! What about how Suigetsu felt about the whole thing?! What about all those people whose hearts you broke by doing that?! What about the way we were before the whole thing happened?! Did you really want to hurt everyone like that?!"

"I never wanted to hurt **_you_**!"

"Then why the fuck would you do it?!"

"To make you jealous!"

"I already was jealous of you!"

"I WANTED YOU TO BE JEALOUS THAT SUIGETSU WASN'T YOU!"

Naruto stopped suddenly, taking in the words the raven had just hollered. He was sure he didn't hear wrong. Hell he was sure the whole precinct heard _that_. Sasuke just continued to hold his gaze steady, fire burning along with a semblance of defeat. Though defeat showed in the onyx orbs there was another emotion that came forth. It was regret. Sasuke had felt regret for doing what he had done and now Naruto was witnessing all of it.

"What?"

"I wanted…I wanted you to think it should have been _you_ beside me, not _him_. I wanted you to think it was supposed to be your books I carried as I walked you to class, you I held hands with. I wanted you to want to go on real dates with me; to kick Suigetsu away and tell him that was your spot beside me."

"Sasuke…."

"Since you didn't react at first I thought that you didn't feel anything for me in return, but everyone else assured me that you did."

"You had the same classes as me, so you walked to class with me anyway…and you never did that for Suigetsu. You never carried his books either; hell that's too 'textbook romance' for you anyway."

"That's not important; I wanted you to be the one I was with."

"I…but why me? It can't be what I think it is…."

"If it isn't clear by now then I'll just have to come out and say it! I should have told you from the start but it's too late for me to take it all back now…I love you, you dobe."

"You have to be joking! If you love me, then why did you have to play Suigetsu like that?!"

"Suigetsu was willing to help me. He knew I loved you and he thought you loved me too so he agreed when I asked him to be my fake boyfriend."

"Then why did you do it for so long?" Naruto asked, getting quite close to a break down.

"I told him that if you hadn't done anything or showed any signs of loving me back by prom that it would end. If you remember, after that night he and I stopped 'going out' as often before then and that I tried to get you alone more often than not."

"You…you…how…? When did this…? This isn't really…happening is it?"

"It is if you want it to be happening."

"No…I've dreamed this too many times. I must have passed out earlier in my apartment when I got home! That means that I didn't get that last letter, or the visit from the police, or get slapped by my mom! And that also means you haven't been threatened!"

"Dobe…Naruto it's real. You're not dreaming," Sasuke offered gently. He laid a hand on top of Naruto's shoulder once he stood up to steady his nearly hysterical potential lover. Sasuke already knew how Naruto felt about him, courtesy of the blonde's mother and his own family, but he wanted, no needed to hear it straight from Naruto himself. Naruto started to shake and twin lines of tears streamed down his eyes to converge at the bottom of his chin.

"Then if I'm not dreaming, am I to understand that you love me and that it's my fault for doing all of this, even though everything was a misunderstanding?"

"No, it's mine for making you feel like you had to avoid me. You know better than anyone how bad I am at expressing myself – if the incident in preschool was any indication of that."

"You stomped on my sandcastle that I made with Gaara and called me a wimp for not going on the jungle gym," Naruto said recalling the memory and scowling a little. Sasuke however smirked at the look on the blonde's face and was just happy the tears slowed down.

"I wanted you to play with me but I couldn't talk to you while all the other kids were around. When we got back to your place that day I gave you all my sour gummy worms to make up for it."

"You know I always wondered why you treated me better when we were alone versus when we were in crowds. I thought it was because of our family's images."

"Why would I care about images when I had you? And wouldn't it have been the other way around if it was for the sake of 'image'? I would have treated you better in hordes of people rather than alone."

"It makes sense…. But when did you start to…you know love me?"

"Hey, it's my turn for a question," Sasuke joked feeling lighter than he had in the last year.

"No it's not. I answered that I was jealous so now you have to answer my question."

"When it started huh? I would have to say for me…about the time puberty started. Maybe even before that. I don't really know when I could call it 'love' but I know that's what it is now."

"You say it with such a straight face it's impossible for it to be a lie."

"I wouldn't lie about this."

"I know. I know you wouldn't but still. Our senior year nearly had me on my knees by graduation I wanted to run so bad."

"Did you choose Konoha Academy because you wanted to be away from me?"

"It was part of it, you could say. At Akatsuki University I would have had to take more math and history courses than I would have liked but the time frame was what really cinched it. Konoha has more security too."

"Well at least that comforts me a little. I thought you changed because you didn't want to be anywhere I was going to be."

The two stood in an awkward silence that was only interrupted by the occasional sniffle or clearing of a throat. Naruto didn't look at Sasuke and Sasuke placed his hands in his pockets since he didn't know what to do with them anymore. Remembering his soda and his kitten, Naruto sat back down and petted the soft being then reached for his drink. Sasuke sat back down as well and took a drink from his bottle as well. The raven knew that there were more questions to ask but he knew Naruto needed some time to wrap his head around all of the information he had just gotten. A separation of friends, starting college, a stalker and a love confession to top it off was stressful enough to put anyone into a depression as it was. It especially wasn't fair that Sasuke was the one to cause most of the damage. Of course the stalker was another huge part of the equation but that was outside of both of their control. Naruto stayed quiet, contemplating everything before he asked Sasuke another question and thus opened another potentially uplifting or depressing door. Five minutes passed and Sasuke was biting his lip trying to think of something to say to his love. Just as he was about to speak, Naruto came out and said something that surprised the raven greatly.

"I love you too, you know. Sort of always have."

The confirmation overjoyed Sasuke but at the same time left him confused. If Naruto had felt that way all this time, then why was he learning about it now? Naruto normally would just blurt it out rather than bottle it up, even if Sasuke was 'seeing' someone. The confusion must have shown on his face because Naruto gave him the certain 'Uzumaki all-knowing stare' and Sasuke could only sigh before he asked.

"If you love me, which I'm beyond happy about, why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I was going to…that day I told you I was gay."

"So why didn't you?"

"Because you said you had a crush on Suigetsu."

"You still could have told me; Suigetsu was just going to be part of my plan to make you like me more anyway. It would have saved us both the trouble."

"I thought you were serious. I didn't want to get in the way if you wanted to date him, so I decided to keep my feelings to myself and let you be happy. And I don't like the way you talk about Suigetsu like you're some sort of manipulator. He's not a thing, he's a person too."

"So it's my fault again?"

"No, I could have told you regardless of Suigetsu at any time I wanted. I actually tried to break you two up when I came out to the school before prom. I was going to ask Neji if he would take me to see if what the others said was true."

"You were going to ask Neji?" Sasuke growled darkly. Naruto sweat-dropped and backed a little further into the couch as Kyuubi puffed up his fur and hissed at the Uchiha. Dark waves of rage pulsated off of the young raven until Naruto started talking again.

"It wasn't anything serious; I would have asked him to go as my friend!" the blonde explained quickly.

"You…wanted to ask…Neji?! You know how I feel about that guy!"

"Well duh! Otherwise I couldn't have proved the others theory!"

"And what **_exactly_** did that ghost-eyed asshole say?"

"If you remember, teme, he didn't even go to prom. He told me that he had a 'prior engagement' to get to and that he was sorry he couldn't make it."

"Like I paid any attention to anything at prom besides you."

"Then it looks like their theory was right."

"Wait, what theory?"

"That you didn't like Suigetsu anymore and that you liked me. That was the only reason I came out to the school in the end."

"And who exactly came up with that theory?"

"Sakura and Sai, surprisingly. Kiba and Hinata told them that you liked me from the beginning though but you know how Sakura is."

"Unfortunately I do. She works at the coffee shop I go to in the mornings and she always asks about Suigetsu and you."

"Sakura works at The Brew House now?"

"No, I had to find another place to get my coffee."

"Why? You love the stuff there."

"I couldn't go in without you there…."

"Oh. Maybe…we can go back there for their pumpkin cake this Halloween?"

Sasuke smirked in relief and let his joy seep through.

"I'd like that."

"We could even go to the Subaku family's haunted house together," Naruto added, a blush dusting his cheek and eyes downcast towards his kitten. Sasuke perked up at the suggestion and the sight he was seeing.

"Do you…mean like a date?"

"It…doesn't have to be a first if you want."

Sasuke had to slap the side of his face that Naruto hit earlier because he thought it was all a trick. If Naruto had just said what he thought he said then Sasuke was going to take up a permanent residence on cloud nine. First though, after the pain had concluded that he was indeed awake and in reality, he had to figure out exactly what was going to be happening with the two of them.

"Our schedules will conflict every now and then. Not to mention the distance between our schools and living spaces."

"Pfft, this is you we're talking about teme. If you want something you just bend and twist things into your favor. I'm sure if it were up to you I'd transfer out to AU and live with your family."

"Not necessarily. You have your license and a car so you could drive to KA from an apartment. We'd just have to find one that's in the middle of the two schools or at least a shorter drive for you."

"You're not serious are you? I'm not moving anywhere."

"If the police move you, you have to. Plus I'll be with you if it happens; I'm sort of a target too now."

"They won't move us to an unknown area outside of the police's jurisdiction. They're probably going to put us in a safe house or something until the forensic evidence comes back, if they find anything they can use to catch the guy."

"Have some faith in the team that's working with you. They seem to know what they're doing. At least if the two cops that brought me here aren't on it you'll be fine."

"So are you going to be with me from here on out?"

"It seems so."

"What about your school?"

"Father is going to talk to the administrators and the Dean about letting me take all my finals early so that I can go on break sooner than the other students, then I'm free until next month."

"Oh. I don't know what's going to be happening with my classes."

"Your teachers will work with you, I'm sure."

"You seem to forget just how much security Konoha has, teme."

"I know all that but it shouldn't change anything. And I missed hearing you call me teme."

"And I almost missed not being called dobe."

"Naruto…I do love you. No tricks, no strings."

"I love you too. And I'm sorry for everything. For avoiding you and then getting you involved."

"Don't worry about it so much. So…what are we now?"

"I don't know. It's all complicated right now."

"You mean with this stalker?"

"He basically said in his letter that if I chose him he would spare you and if I chose you he would kill you and hurt me. That's what the police are saying anyway."

"So if you choose him, you'll be taken away and I'll be fine is that right?"

"I don't know but either way I don't like the outcome."

"Don't let the dick-wad get the better of you. He can't tell you to stop loving me if that's the way you feel. Plus I don't like the way he does things."

"By 'the way he does things' are you talking about everything he does or what he's been doing to me?"

"He's a damn coward. You've never seen him, he doesn't write those letters just types them, and let's not talk about how pissed off he makes me."

"I assume any person hitting on me would piss you off."

"Yes, but you love me so I don't have anything to worry about for right now. And do you have any idea who this is in the first place?"

"All the letters said was that I see him every day and that he knows my schedule."

"He can't be from your college then."

"Why not?"

"As far as you know, nobody you knew before attends the same school as you. If they knew your schedule because of your classes you would have together, they would have only known it for a week."

"There were a few others from our high school that came to Konoha Academy; just not the psychology program I'm in."

"Do you know any of them?"

"Nobody from our year or the two ahead of us, but there are two people who said they're from our school. One of them knows your brother."

"Itachi? How?"

"He's five years ahead of me and takes the advanced counter terrorism courses and his name is Kisame, I think? He's a pretty big, scary dude that's got this really weird bluish skin tone and really creepy eyes. Not like Hinata and Neji's eyes; this guy looks like a freaking shark!"

"Itachi and Kisame know each other from their high school days and they all ran with Deidara, Nagato, Sasori and a couple of other guys. If Itachi knows someone in the school that makes it safer for you I guess."

"Kisame-sempai only has one class with me though and that's only because he's the teacher's aide."

"Either way, if Itachi tells him to do something, he'll most likely do it."

"I guess…but it doesn't get me any closer to ending all of this."

"Naruto…do you remember our sophomore year? When you had that girl looking at you all the time?"

"What girl?"

"I didn't think you were that dense; come on that one that followed you everywhere and stole your gym clothes from your locker!"

"I thought that was Kiba!"

"No…it was a girl. I can't remember her name or even what she looked like right now but she moved when we finished our junior year. She went with that strange guy that was two years ahead of us."

"I don't remember any girl following me around or anything creepy like that. But do you think…this is the same person?"

"The one threatening you now is a guy isn't it? It might not be her, but it could be the guy she moved with acting on her behalf."

"Yeah…yeah you're right."

"Naruto…I want to see the last letter you got. And that includes the pictures as well."

"How…how do you know about that?" Naruto asked frightened.

"The cops that came to get me told me that there were pictures that had my images burned out or mutilated in some way along with the threat against my life. I want to see them for myself so I can think about what's in this guy's head."

"Can't we leave that to the profilers?"

"Do you really want to wait that long?"

"Even if I wanted to show you, all of that stuff was left in my apartment to be tagged as evidence and went to forensics. I don't have them."

"Damn."

"I…I understand if you're mad at me for getting you involved."

"I'm not mad at you for that; I'm mad that it got this far and I didn't have a clue about it. It's not your fault this guy is insane."

"I know. But because I didn't do anything –"

"You didn't do anything because there was nothing you could do. You made the right moves Naruto don't let anyone tell you otherwise! You're the one that had to deal with all of this and you're the only one who knows how you feel about it all."

Sasuke stood straight and tall, proud of his words and made a resolve to make sure nothing happened to his dobe from this point on. No matter what anyone said or did they would have to get past him to even glance at Naruto! Naruto smiled at him and teared up again but Sasuke could tell they were happy tears this time. At the sight of them, the raven felt a weight lift from his shoulders making him lighter than air and happier than his mother when her newest romance novel was published. She always was the more creative one in the family and when her work hit bookshelves across the country nothing could hold a candle to her smile. Right now though, Sasuke thought he did a pretty good job of coming close.

"For the record, Sasuke, just between us…."

Naruto stood up and closed the distance between himself and the raven until they were almost chest to chest. If either one of them were to tilt their head they would be kissing. Sasuke felt heat flood his face and tried to suppress it but Naruto stood on his toes, wrapped his slender arms around his neck and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"…I would choose you every time."


	9. Chapter 9

**Well it seems that nobody really pays attention to these author's notes so I don't even know why I write them. The poll I had on my profile got less than half of the votes I wanted/needed in order for me to continue this story, which is why there was no update last week. Even if people didn't VOTE, hardly any people told me what they wanted in their REVIEWS like I asked. Yes I said you didn't have to, but when I leave something to my readers, I actually get my hopes up that you'll actually give me feedback about the current issue I'm faced with. As a result, and having the majority vote, this story will be updated whenever I feel like it and the chapters be as long or short as I want it. Hell if I really wanted to be mean, I would make another poll asking the same question and just put this story on HOLD for as long as it needed to take for me to get decent results. Four people voting with three different options does not give me adequate feedback people! This story would be driving me slightly insane if I wasn't also in the process of the third installment of the 'Thunder' series! So anyway, now instead of regular updates every or every OTHER Monday, be prepared to wait...and possibly a long time. UNLESS YOU ALL TELL ME WHAT THE HECK YOU WANT ME TO DO! LONGER CHAPTERS WITH LONGER BUT REGULAR UPDATES OR SHORTER CHAPTERS WITH WEEKLY UPDATES! TELL ME! And no I'm not angry, I'm desperate. Be happy this isn't just a preview chapter. And DON'T get angry at me if any of you don't think that the chapter wasn't worth the wait, there are some important pieces of information here about previous details some of you like to skip, and clarifications about some other things.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot and I must correct the statement I made in a previous chapter's disclaimer about the Pepsi company owning Sprite and Crush. They belong to Coca-Cola. Naruto and the Naruto franchise belong to Masashi Kishimoto and other such persons claiming legal rights to it.**

The blush was now uncontrollable, his heart was going to burst from his ribcage, and he swore his eyes couldn't get any wider but Sasuke didn't care. He had his answer! Naruto wanted to be with him! Once this psycho was out of their lives and behind bars, or twelve feet below where Sasuke stood, they could finally have the relationship Sasuke hoped to have! Sasuke coiled his arms around Naruto's waist and buried his head into his neck. It was to go without saying that he had missed his blonde but this was the first time he had held Naruto so close since he had developed these feelings. He was flooded by a strong scent of something earthy and fresh, similar to fresh cut grass and tilled soil and it made Sasuke feel as though he could withstand anything life threw at him. He felt Naruto laugh a little and the rumble coming from his chest made Sasuke smile. All too soon though the moment was broken when Sasuke felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Cursing every god he knew and even some he was sure were made up, he pulled away from his love and dove a hand into his pocket to yank out the annoying device. Unlocking the screen he saw that his father texted him. Scanning through the words quickly, all the while keeping one arm wrapped around Naruto's waist, he opened the picture that was attached. The place was huge, seemed exclusive, not to mention expensive and judging by how long it had taken them to find it, about half an hour away since he was including traffic.

"My father sent me a picture of a place mother thinks we'd like to go to for dinner. What do you think about it?"

Naruto looked at the screen and scrunched up his nose in distaste.

"It seems like a rich-bitch place, don't you think?"

"Yeah it does now that you put it that way. But Naruto, you have to remember that we _are_ rich."

" _We_ aren't rich, our _parents_ are rich. Plus I know that you don't like anything _too_ extravagant since you like things simple but in good taste."

"Yeah but if it's exclusive then it's less likely that your stalker could be there."

"What kind of food do they have though? I'm not giving up my meals so that some freak that has it bad for me can look at me through binoculars."

"Don't joke about that. Hang on a minute."

Sasuke texted back to his father asking about the menu and a few short minutes later he got a reply.

"It seems they specialize in Greek food with some Italian inspired dishes as well. Father says they have other stuff but he doesn't think you'd eat any of them."

"What the hell made your mom think we would want to eat Greek food?!"

"Lamb is pretty good if it's done right. They also have some other things that I would be able to stomach. Wait, have you had Greek food before?"

"Yeah, on one of my family vacations to tour the Greek islands! The places we went to were awesome but the food; not so much."

"Okay then you can just get something from the Italian inspired menu." Sasuke let out a minor frustrated sigh. He may have loved Naruto with his entire being, but that didn't mean the blonde couldn't be difficult.

"Just how much would we be looking at for the paycheck I wonder?"

"You always worry about minor things. Remember what you just said, our parents are rich, so the bill shouldn't matter. Not only that but do you remember just who our parents are?"

"Exactly. Why can't we eat at my mom's place?"

"We can't go there because it's not close enough and your stalker already knows where it is."

"For all we know bastard, he knows where everything is. If he really wants to be where I'm going to be, then he'll undoubtedly know the area well enough to make some guesses as to where I would go."

"Then I'll tell them to keep looking, if that's how you feel. They've already been gone an hour though so I'm not too sure how far away they are from here."

"We are dealing with city traffic though, keep in mind. It should have taken me forty-five minutes to get here earlier today but that speed-demon of a detective got me here in less than twenty."

"You have a point…plus my father is driving and he loves his Enclave."

"Precisely. So what do we do now?"

"I don't know about you but I don't want to risk the wrath of our mothers if we leave this room without a police escort."

"I know. They're super-human when it comes to knowing what we're up to, I swear! Do you think that only applies to our moms or all moms?"

"I'd have to say all moms. Remember how Sakura's mom freaked out on her after she had that New Year's party when she and her husband were away on a business trip?"

"I almost forgot about that! That was hysterical; Sakura told me that she couldn't access her bank account for three months because her mom froze everything as punishment!"

"And she somehow knew about the party all the way in Western Europe, multiple time zones away and on the same day it happened."

"But that's Sakura's mom, Hinata's mom is pretty nice."

"Not according to Kiba."

"Teme, OUR moms have problems with Kiba, however minor. Plus, what mom wants to catch her daughter pinned under some strange guy that resembles a dog more than he does a human sometimes?!"

"Wait…Kiba and Hinata…already…?"

"You didn't know? They've been going at it with each other for the past two years. I though you would have at least heard of Kiba boasting about how he lost his. Poor Hinata couldn't look at anyone for two weeks after he shouted it out in the locker room."

"I…must have missed that day."

"Or you blocked it out. But yeah, apparently they got caught one time they were in the middle of it and Hinata's mom went Godzilla on him. Kiba said that from then on, they only did it at his place, but even then Mrs. Hyuga was always checking in on them."

"This makes me happy I'm gay and that our parents seem to enjoy the idea of us being a couple."

"They do?"

"My parents do. So does Itachi and from what I saw earlier your mom as well."

Naruto suddenly took on a solemn look and pushed himself away from Sasuke, who still had not removed his arm from his waist. Naruto sat back down on the couch and stroked Kyuubi's fur as a mild form of comfort to calm his nerves. Sasuke tilted his head in confusion but didn't say anything, knowing it was wiser to just shut up in this situation. Sasuke had heard earlier what Kushina had done to Naruto but that was only what the redhead had revealed to his own mother. From Naruto's behavior though, Sasuke could tell that something else had transpired in the time he was traveling to the station.

"She might be happy if we get together…if she still considers me her child."

Sasuke's eyes widened in a mild shock and sucked in a gulp of air before he nodded his head as an indication for Naruto to continue.

"After she slapped me…she said that I wasn't man enough and that, at the moment, I wasn't her son. When you came in and she yanked me up off the couch to make me face you…I'm sorry and I mean no offense to you, but it hurt that she forced me to do that."

"She said you weren't her son?"

"I believe I already specified that, teme. Learn to listen to me, not just tune me out."

"Naruto she was pacing back and forth in the hallway before we came in saying what a horrible person she was and what you must have thought of her."

"Knowing mom though she probably forgot she said it."

"A person knows when they say something they know is wrong. It's not something that is easily forgotten."

"But you forget Sasuke, when mom slips into the 'Red Hot Habanero' persona she has, she often forgets exactly what happens when she comes out of it. It's like she's a whole other person. Now while she didn't go her normal 'Red Hot Habanero' mode I could tell that she wasn't her normal self either. She was calmer than I thought she would be but her words stung and she sounded like she was spitting ice at me."

"So what does that mean exactly right now? That you forgive her for saying that to you just because she may not remember it?" the raven nearly growled, almost willing to believe that his love was really that stupid.

"No…even though she's my mom and I love her, I know she's in the wrong. But I can see what she meant by it."

"Why are you looking into this deeper? If she said something like that then it must have just been because she was pissed. She was sorry for it, trust me."

"No…I don't think she was. I can see what she means because I really haven't been acting like _her son_."

"I'm afraid you've lost me. Congratulations, you can still manage to confuse me even after a two month silence and a clean slate."

"Bastard, be serious." Although Naruto had the intention of 'scaring' Sasuke into listening to him the small laughter of Sasuke's joke seeped through, ultimately making it comforting to the raven. It was a slight reassurance that Sasuke could still make the blonde happy even though his life was in utter turmoil right now.

"You see how you are? For once in our lives, I actually _seriously_ congratulate you on something and you throw it back at me. Let's see if I ever do that again," he added with a smirk. The whole thing only made Naruto smile wider and laugh a little louder.

"Hahaha, okay, okay but in all seriousness now, I haven't been acting like I usually would. I tell my parents everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything. They knew when I skipped school, when I turned in assignments late, whose house party I was going to – everything. But…when I got that first letter…I didn't tell them. I kept it hidden."

"It was a _first_ letter from someone new. I know you, dobe. Even though our moms like to say they know us better than we know ourselves, we know _each other_ better than them. You considered the first letter something special, something that you had to keep secret. Now, knowing that I know you almost inside-out, tell me I'm wrong."

"You're not. It was special to me. I thought it was from you at first. It arrived just after I stopped talking to you, almost as soon as summer vacation started, so I thought that it was you trying to confess something to me. Then I thought that it couldn't have been you because you still had Suigetsu-"

"-which is my fault for making you think that."

"-so I reasoned that even though it must not have been from you, I would think it was," Naruto continued, ignoring Sasuke's interruption.

"See? You valued it so you didn't want to tell anybody."

"But I still always shared those kinds of things with mom and dad. I told them about my feelings for you and I valued that more than I did my ramen bowl collection!"

"Awe, I'm honored," the Uchiha joked again. This time though, inside he felt a rush of pride. Naruto had been collecting different ramen bowls from various restaurants and ramen shops all across the country for the better part of ten years and it was the only thing that Naruto ever took extremely good care of. Each one was of a different design or pattern and every one that was added was only more beautiful than the last. Right now if Sasuke had to guess they were still back at his parent's house in their custom-made glass showcase with the tiny pocket lights and cherry wood shelves because the dobe treasured them too much to risk damaging them in a move to a new apartment or having them stolen. At one point three years ago, Sasuke had asked Naruto if he would ever sell them or use them again and the blonde had shouted 'never bastard, they're precious to me!' and stormed away from him. Sasuke never asked about their value or use ever again, although he thought it was stupid to just put dishes on display, but he had helped add to the collection in his own way. He had contributed a bowl along with a set of hand painted chopsticks to match each one in the collection. Sasuke had told Naruto that from that point forward, each bowl Naruto added to his collection, Sasuke would make a pair of chopsticks to match. Naruto went out of his mind with happiness with the gift and glomped Sasuke for almost a whole week, not that either of them complained. So the fact that Naruto had admitted just now that his feelings for Sasuke meant more to him than his bowl collection spoke volumes to the young Uchiha.

"Yes, I put you above my precious ceramic babies and wooden gems that were your gifts to me. Who the hell would put an item before a person anyway?"

"If it makes you feel better, I would set my room on fire if you told me to."

"You cherish that place as your sanctuary! Why would I tell you to set it on fire?!"

It was true, Sasuke loved his bedroom; every square inch of the place in fact. When his parents had remodeled the house and told him that he could have a bigger room, Sasuke jumped at the chance to make it, not only the way he wanted it, but his _own_. So after three weeks of desperately trying to find the perfect layout, consulting with the construction crew about his limitations, and pestering Deidara for his advice on certain aspects, Sasuke had designed his own blueprint for his room. Itachi's art loving friend had gone so far as to throw a small party for the boy – since the older blonde had claimed he had absolutely no taste in art or design. Deidara spent that party showing off the fact that he helped the 'artless Sasuke' make his own room before Itachi finally knocked him out with help of some vodka and whiskey. The room was a milestone for the young Uchiha and he felt that it was the one thing in his life that he could claim as _his_. Sure he had Naruto, and he loved him more than life itself, but Naruto had a life and couldn't be locked away far from the prying eyes that were surely watching him. It was something that Sasuke longed to do, now more than ever, but he couldn't deny the blonde his freedom; even if it was out of love and affection. So if Naruto put him above his ramen bowl collection, Sasuke's own room took a back seat to Naruto.

"I know you know how I feel about the room, and if I'm above your bowl collection, then you're above my love for my room. But we're veering off topic here; why can you understand what your mom meant earlier?"

"Like I said; I wasn't acting like myself."

"So you hide one thing from your parents and suddenly you're not their kid? Sorry dobe, I don't see the logic. Kids like us, meaning rich kids, disobey and hide shit from their parents all the time and you don't see them 'understanding' every little thing their parents bitch at them for. It's called 'a phase' and they come and go. This time, for you though you just wanted to keep something to yourself."

"That's not the only thing I did."

"I know…and it wasn't your fault; most of it was mine. I was the one that made you want to avoid me, so you 'ran' from me. I know you usually face things Naruto, but something like that – like this; it's not a beast you can look in the eye, tackle to the ground and force to comply with your wishes. It's scary…and difficult to do alone. I made you feel that way and you did the natural thing that a lot of people do. You 'ran' to 'survive'. You couldn't make sense out of a situation, so you had to leave and come back to it. Now, you've come back and it's sorted out and resolved."

"The point is, Sasuke that I should have had the balls to face you in the first place!"

" _My_ point is, Naruto, that I didn't give you any option but to run. For all you knew, and what I originally wanted you to think, I was happy with Suigetsu and you didn't want to make me upset by saying anything I may not have wanted to hear. For instance – you love me."

"I should have told you from the start; it's something that I would have done if I hadn't have acted like a crushed school girl that day."

"And I take the blame for that, but we can't live on 'should haves' or 'ifs'. It's done now, everything turned out okay; we're fine."

"Well…as fine as we can be with a stalker out for your blood and my virginity."

"….well I'm happy to know that you're still a virgin. Am I to assume that I'll be the one to pop your ass-cherry then?"

"Shut up!" Naruto screamed as he blushed fifty shades of red and threw a magazine at Sasuke's head.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Sasuke laughed back, pink in the face and dodging the various small items Naruto managed to find and chuck at him.

"You shouldn't have to ask that since I wanted you to be the one to take it in the first place!" Naruto shouted before he realized exactly what he said and slapped his hands over his mouth. Sasuke stopped his laughing and looked at the other boy in the room dazed and a little blissful. The moment was a little awkward for the both of them seeing as they had _just_ cleared the air between them about the two month silence, but it still didn't stop Sasuke from soaking in the information that Naruto wanted to eventually have sex with him.

"So then-"

"Let's change the topic! Did your dad get back to you about the restaurant?!" Naruto fired trying to avoid what he had inadvertently admitted. Sasuke continued to look at Naruto while he pulled his phone back out of his pocket. When he looked at the screen he noticed that he had a missed call from his mother.

"Mother called, do you want me to call her back or text her?"

"You missed a call from your mom?! Rest in peace, Sasuke that's all I can say."

"Don't be a baby, and we're not done talking about this. Let me call mother, and I'm putting her on speaker phone so try and refrain from saying anything too incriminating or stupid."

"Same to you."

Sasuke redialed his mothers' number and the room was quiet except for the dial tone. Mikoto picked up after three rings and surprisingly, she didn't sound as angry as Naruto had expected her to be.

 _"_ _Sasuke honey, why didn't you answer your phone before?"_

"Naruto and I were talking mother, and before you ask everything is fine between us now."

"Hi Mrs. Uchiha."

 _"_ _Hello Naruto! I hope that Sasuke didn't lose his temper and start yelling at you like he always does."_

"Actually, I yelled at him first but we both yelled by the end of it."

 _"_ _Well at least things are back to the way they were before. sigh And I was looking forward to seeing exactly how everything would turn out."_

"I wouldn't say it's the same, mother."

 _"_ _Are you two together now?!"_

"Not exactly…."

 _"_ _Sasuke, what do you mean 'not exactly'?"_

"Naruto still has a homicidal stalker and he doesn't want to admit that I'm his boyfriend for fear of the guy finding out and killing me."

"Sasuke why the fuck would you say that?!"

 _"_ _Naruto dear, is that true?"_

"I say let the son of a bitch try."

"We're not boyfriends yet! Don't let the bastard fool you or listen to a damn word he says!"

 _"_ _Why not?"_

"Why?! You heard your son; Mrs. Uchiha there is someone trying to kill him because of me!"

 _"_ _No, he's trying, and going to fail, to kill Sasuke because he's an idiot who doesn't know who he's dealing with."_

"Itachi? Mother do you have us on speaker?"

 _"_ _Yes little brother and we believe that we've found a place to eat. We believe that it will please both of your picky palates so we're on our way to pick you two up so that we can all eat some real food. Not that poor excuse of a snack we all had earlier; real food."_

"You're hangry aren't you aniki?"

 _"_ _Damn right I am so you two had better be ready when we get there."_

 _"_ _Naruto-baby how is everything with you? Are you feeling any better?"_

"Yeah mom, a bit. At least with Sasuke but everything else…it's still kind of up in the air."

"The police haven't come to get us for anything yet so I can only assume that nothing more has happened since you guys all left. I take it Mr. Namikaze is riding up front with dad?"

 _"_ _Yes dear he is. They're complaining about how fast we're not going and how bad traffic is. Minato and your father are both trying not to kill some random city drivers right now so we may have to pull over and switch places so that I'm driving and Kushina is in the passenger seat."_

"I thought father never wanted to let you drive the Enclave?"

 _"_ _Honey I'm his wife. He'll let me do anything if I tell him I'm not going to cook for a week."_

 _"_ _Among other things, my easily gutter-mind bound little brother."_

"Yeah…that was something I could have been spared. And now Naruto is trying to find a suitable place to throw up. Thanks for that."

Naruto was indeed in a corner trying not to throw up whatever was in his stomach since he couldn't remember what he ate last and there were two distinct laughs on the other side of the phone. They were definitely from Naruto's parents but whether they were laughing at his own parent's embarrassment or Naruto's misfortune was yet to be determined.

 _"_ _A-anyway, we'll be at the station to pick you two up in about half an hour. Things are finally starting to move so maybe your father will press the gas pedal."_

"Okay mother, we'll see you when you get here."

 _"_ _Love you Sasuke. Pray that we don't end up spending the night at the station because your father killed somebody."_

"I love you too, and I will."

Mikoto hung up after that and Sasuke also swiped the 'end call' function on his phone. He put the device back into his pocket and went over to the corner Naruto was still in. He put a hand on his back to soothe him in case he really was throwing up and Naruto looked up at him and smiled. Then he stood up and focused and irritated scowl at Sasuke. Sasuke blinked twice in confusion but didn't say anything. He just cocked his brow up and tilted his head down slightly.

"I can't believe you told your mom, and the rest of them in the car that we're boyfriends."

"We are, why deny it?"

"First and foremost, there is someone out there who will try to kill you if I go out with you, and second you haven't asked me if I wanted to go out with you! You just asked 'what are we?' and I told you that I didn't know."

"We both like each other, we both want to date each other, hell do I even _need_ to ask?"

"I would like you to…just for official purposes so that I can at least lie to our friends about how we got together."

"You just said that you weren't acting like yourself earlier and now you want to lie to our friends about how we started dating."

"I don't think they'll appreciate that I didn't tell them I have a stalker teme. They'll most likely focus on that little tidbit of information more than our relationship status."

"Good point. Okay then, will you go out with me? Just to make it official, of course."

"Wow, no romance much," Naruto droned, clearly disappointed with the way Sasuke asked his question.

"I wasn't going for romance, I was going for official. And I have limited material to work with here if you wanted me to be romantic."

"Fine."

"Fine, what?"

"Fine, I accept that you have nothing to work with, even though you're an Uchiha, and I'll go out with you," Naruto finished with a smile. Although he had somewhat insulted his Uchiha ability, Sasuke smiled back. Just as he was about to hug the blonde again, there was a knock on the door before it opened to reveal detective Ibiki.

"Sorry to interrupt boys but we have some things that we want to discuss with you two regarding our course of action from this point on."

"Oh, okay, of course. Our parents should be back in about half an hour so I think we have time," Naruto said, looking at Sasuke for confirmation.

"Even if they were going to be here in five minutes, we'd have time for this officer. If we need to be taken somewhere, then please lead the way."

Naruto turned back from looking at Sasuke as the raven bowed his head slightly to look back at Ibiki with a smile and a small bow of his own. Ibiki could say he was impressed. Not five hours ago was the blonde crying and shaking because he had a stalker and he didn't want to see this raven. But now he seemed calm and even a little happy. He hated to be the one to brief the boys about what they were going to be doing earlier since he didn't think that the blonde would be happy with the arrangement, but he had some hope now that things would be okay for him.

"If you could follow me, the chief wants to talk to you two in his office."

The three of them made their way back to where Sasuke had started this whole trip and once more knocked on the door that held the man who would decide their fate for the time being. There was a sharp 'come in' before they entered to see two people conversing with Sarutobi; both people Naruto recognized.

"Mr. Umino? Mr. Hatake? What are you two doing here?"

"Naruto, I'm glad you're okay! When we both heard the news about what was happening to you, we were pulled from our assignments to help you. Why didn't you come to us, we could have helped you in some way if we had known."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto questioned the brown-haired man with the scar across his face.

"Naruto, there are some things that have been in motion for a while now that don't pertain to this situation, but Iruka and Kakashi are two of my best undercover agents. They've been stationed at your school for over two years now as teachers as part of their assignment, as luck would have it."

"So what does this have to do with Naruto's stalker?" Sasuke asked puzzled as to why two undercover teachers, already on a mission, would be pulled to help a freshman. Part of him thought that it was just to brief the two about Naruto's situation and why he may not be attending physical class, but another stronger part told him that this was more serious than they had anticipated and that the case they were working on before had just been put on hold.

"As undercover teachers, we'll be on a sort of protection detail for Naruto while he continues his education at Konoha Academy. By the way Naruto, you got a ninety-four percent on your last assignment," the white haired man smiled at him. At least Sasuke guessed he smiled since he couldn't see his face behind that hospital mask he wore.

"So what do the two of you teach at KA?"

"Mr. Umino teaches criminal protocol as part of the criminal law course I'm minoring in and career ethics as part of the psychology course. Mr. Hatake teaches profiling and behavior analysis," Naruto explained.

"I get it, so you two are going to be monitoring what Naruto does and who he interacts with so that he has some 'inside' security."

"That's right Mr. Uchiha, so you can put your mind at ease while Naruto is in our care."

"But I haven't-"

"Your stance says it all. The tight shoulders and narrowed eyes tell me that you don't trust me as far as you can throw me but you're willing to accept our help if it will keep Naruto safe. When you tilted your head up slightly to the left it told me that you wanted to hear what I have to say but if you found that it wasn't something you agreed with you would be taking measures into your own hands. Was I right?"

Sasuke stood slightly impressed and more reassured that Naruto was in capable hands, even if they weren't his. He turned to Naruto and nodded in approval before he tried to grab the blonde's hand. Naruto snatched it away from him however and shot a surprised glance at the raven for his bold move.

"Naruto, you don't have to hide it. The whole station heard part of that conversation you had with Sasuke, so we kind of all expected this."

"Be a little more observant Iruka, this isn't what it really seems."

"What are you talking about? Are you profiling them?! Kakashi can't you just turn that off for five minutes and let them be?!" Iruka scolded but Kakashi stood firm.

"Part of a complete profile also involves profiling the victim. Naruto pulled his hand away because he doesn't want the one who's stalking him to find out that Sasuke is close to him. Naruto wants to make sure Sasuke would be safe in case any of this is being monitored by any…outside party."

"Naruto is that true?"

"Yeah…what if he's watching me now? What makes you think he won't take action if he sees you with me? He threatened to kill you, Sasuke. I don't want my being in a relationship with you to be your death warrant!"

"It won't be. Just trust these men to do their jobs and let me help you as well."

"Boys, I hate to interrupt here but we have some more important matters that we need to discuss."

"Right…sorry. What did you want to see us about?" Naruto asked the chief.

"Since the officer that spoke to you before didn't do his job properly and go over your options about how to proceed with your protection, we'll be doing that now. The way we all see it is that you have two options. The first would be to continue your daily lives as usual while a few officers disguised as common citizens keep surveillance on you. Iruka and Kakashi will give you updates about the case after school each week and in turn, any new evidence is to go through them. If this person is keeping watch of you everywhere you go, we don't want you to have a constant police presence to scare him off."

"Why do you want him to keep stalking Naruto?! Isn't your job to get rid of the bastard?!"

"Sasuke, I understand your concern about this but if we scare him off, we may never catch him. We don't want him to go dormant and stop altogether before we catch wind of who he is; we want to bring him in and make sure that Naruto's safe."

"I don't like it. Like you said if he is watching then he already knows that the police are involved. He only has two options now; lie low for a while and wait until the police go away so that he could start back up again, or get more serious about his pursuit of Naruto and risk the exposure to kidnap him. I don't know if the profiler in the room will agree with me, but if I were the stalker and I had already threatened to kill somebody I wouldn't wait."

"Sasuke's right Mr. Sarutobi. This guy is bold and seems to be clever. Hell he erased any forensic trail so that we couldn't follow it back to him!"

"That's not necessarily true," Ibiki offered.

"What do you mean?"

"Our forensic analyst found a partial finger print on the last letter he sent to you along with a powdery residue along the creases of the folds. The pictures also held some sort of oily substance in the red ink that we saw on the images of you. Sadly nothing else could be found but we thought that it was better than nothing."

"You mean…we have forensics….that can help?" Naruto asked slowly.

"If we can identify the substances they can be traced back to the manufacturers and from there was can see what we get. Our analyst doesn't think he has enough to get a match on the fingerprint but he's running it through the system now in case he has had any prior convictions or service records."

"It's a good start at least," Sasuke said while finally taking a hold of Naruto's hand. The blonde must have been a little shocked because he hadn't looked away from Ibiki yet and his eyes were wide. Sasuke could tell the blonde was hopeful for something, and for that Sasuke could put his faith in these officers. Once Naruto blinked himself back to the present, he held Sasuke's hand back.

"Thank you. Thank you all."

"Don't thank us yet, kid. You still haven't heard the second option."

"Yes. The second option would be moving the both of you to secure, separate locations and limit your contacts with the public and each other. Both of you would have to have police escorts and special task forces on stand-by at all times in case of emergencies. You'd both be given police issued phones and GPS devices so that if you were to get separated from your escorts we have a way to find you. Regarding your schooling you'd both be taught online should your professors cooperate with the arrangements and agree to the terms we would have for them. You two may be thinking that this is the more dangerous and obviously heavier approach but we made this plan in the hopes that it would enrage the stalker and cause him to make a mistake. If we cut Naruto off from the public and limit his exposure to everything else, we hope that the person will show himself hoping to pry information out of the officers."

"It's stupid. I vote the first option."

"I have to say the first one as well. I don't really like the idea of being locked away just to make one guy go crazy and have him possibly hurt innocent people over me."

"Then we'll start the preparations for it now. If you could leave both of your phones with our technicians they could implant the correct devices to monitor the both of you if any unknown calls or texts come through. It also goes without saying that we'll also have a location on you as well as long as you have your phones."

"My phone is in my backpack; let me get it real quick."

"I'll hold on to mine until our parents get here and then you can have it."

Naruto left the office and came back with his phone to hand over to the chief before he started small talking with his teachers about some of the finer points of the plan to keep him safe. Sasuke listened intently knowing that whatever they would be doing would be for the greater good of his dobe's safety. After what seemed like a lifetime though, the Namikaze and Uchiha families returned to claim their sons. Sasuke had to smirk at his brother since he usually got so out of character when he was hungry and right now he was living up to that. Itachi was tapping his fingers on his crossed arms and huffing like a child who had his toy taken away. His poor older brother was going to have to wait another hour before he got food and Sasuke only felt slightly guilty that he was feeling such frustrations. They had left before their lunch break and Sasuke himself was starting to feel hunger pangs but he was having too much fun seeing his brother act so fussy.

"Little brother, I suggest you stop smirking before I tell Deidara that you want to put your bedroom blueprint on display for his art gallery this fall," the older raven growled while the younger cringed.

"Fine, let's just go. Naruto do you need to grab anything before we go?"

"I just need to figure out what I'm going to do with Kyuubi. I don't want to leave him here all by himself."

"He'll be okay son; one of the officers can look after him until we get back."

"Yeah but dad I'm not sure Kyu would like them. He's particular about who handles him and what if he doesn't eat for them?"

"Dobe, he's a cat. He can take care of himself if they just put food and water out for him."

"Teme my kitten is very picky. He wouldn't eat for the vet when we had to leave him overnight after he got fixed and mom told me that for the first two days he was with them he wouldn't come out from under my bed!"

"Your cat sounds like a bastard."

"Then maybe I should have named him Sasuke," Naruto mumbled angrily. Sasuke smirked in response but still hit his beloved over the head for the comment about naming a cat after him. Sasuke may love cats, but he would be damned if his name was going to be used for a ball of fluff.

"Alright boys, let's go. We're all hungry and your fathers aren't looking forward to city traffic again."

"Mother, it should have all died down by now."

"Sasuke trust me, your father has decided that we're never moving to a big city like this. The commute to and from work he said was alright because it was for the sake of providing for his family, but right now he just wants to run someone over."

"So I take it you're going to drive?"

"I'm going to drive the two of you and your brother while Kushina drives with Minato and your father."

"Why do you get us?"

"I won our game of rock paper scissors," Mikoto smiled and held her hand up in a victory sign. Sasuke mentally sweat dropped and had to wonder if riding with his mother was a good idea right now. It would probably be good for Naruto to ride with her though, since he may not feel exactly comfortable with his mother right now. So if Naruto agreed then Sasuke would have no qualms.

"While we're driving you two can clarify what was discussed on the phone earlier."

"Indeed little brother, we're all curious as to what transpired between you and dear Naruto."

"I'm standing right here!"

"We know Naruto; I just like pestering Sasuke."

"Die Itachi. Let's just go, I'm hungry."

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's hand after dropping his phone off to the technician that had Naruto's phone and walked away from his mother and brother to head for the parking lot.


	10. Chapter 10

**Holy freaking crap this took me FOREVER to finish and find a spot to stop! I know that my usual update day is Monday for this story but thanks to a storm my internet was down for most of the day. It was a long wait, I know, but I'm pretty sure you guys will like this chapter. It's a long one, probably the longest yet but since you guys actually voted, there will be long chapters like this posted every two weeks. It's what the majority of you wanted so bear with me and keep in mind that I'm also trying to keep my sanity and social life intact. A friend of mine is coming back home for our birthdays this weekend and I'm beyond excited to see her again! I love writing this, but she doesn't know about the plot to this one yet so SSSSHHHH!**

 **Anyway, the first part of the chapter may seem boring and uneventful, but it is relevant so please don't skip anything! I know at least one of you has reviewed confessing that you skipped around but please understand that I write these things out for reasons. Each detail is important because if you skip any of them, you may miss hints! Also if you're confused about anything feel free to leave me a review and I'll get back to you ASAP. For my guest reviewers...I CAN'T ANSWER YOU UNLESS YOU SIGN IN :'( I have no way of PMing you or finding out who you are. I am not Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds; I do NOT have the technology (if anyone gets that joke then the next chapter is dedicated to you!) so please sign in! I love hearing from all of you and I'm sorry that you have to wait so long for chapters now. BUT! I will be posting the third part of my 'Thunder' series VERY SOON.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot, Pepsi belongs to the Pepsi company, Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and other such persons who hold legal ownership of it and the concept for the chapter goes to 'Criminal Minds' for the inspiration. Now please, get a drink, some snacks and a comfy pillow because this is going to be LONG.**

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The other two Uchihas followed and guided them to the vehicle before they all climbed in, Sasuke and Naruto in the back with Mikoto driving and Itachi beside her. Mikoto waited for Kushina to pull up next to her and drive away before they followed. Twenty minutes later, thanking the gods above for the speedy pace the women of both families provided, they were stopping in the lot of a simple looking place that emitting a smell of grilled meats and seafood. Not caring to look at the name of the place, Sasuke opened the door and climbed out; waiting for Naruto to follow suit. Once the blonde was beside him and the rest of their party was together, Sasuke took Naruto's hand again and the other didn't fight it. Instead he smiled and walked beside him, but they could both feel the five sets of eyes staring at their connected hands and could practically feel the joy emanating off of them causing the two to look back behind them. Kushina and Mikoto fan girl squealed as quietly as they thought they could while Minato and Fugaku just smiled (in Fugaku's case smirk) and simultaneously shake their heads at their wives. Itachi was smirking as well and giving them a gentleman's clap; seeming like he had just witnessed the interlude of a Shakespearean play or a golf tournament. Naruto just dropped his shoulders in surrender and Sasuke scowled that they were having so much fun at his expense.

"Can we just go in? The smell is making me even hungrier than I already am," Sasuke grumbled. Naruto laughed and tugged his hand to pull Sasuke through the doors and up to the podium to be seated. The inside of the place was pretty, but dimly lit giving it a bar type feel while maintaining an air of professionalism. The place was pretty busy but it wasn't crowded or noisy like Naruto thought it might be, judging from the appearance of the outside of the building and it was a welcome change of pace from the stuffy police station. The hostess took them all to a large table in the middle of the room to right of them and let them all get situated before she handed everyone a menu and informing them that their waiter would be with them in a few moments to take their orders for drinks.

"How did you find this place?" Naruto asked no one in particular.

"I saw it while we were stopped at the red light just outside when we were on our way to come get you boys. It was just before you called your mom, Sasuke," Kushina replied. Naruto's suspicion must have been correct in that she forgot that she told him that he wasn't her kid because she was acting as though it didn't happen. Maybe she was just waiting for a better time to bring it up instead of creating a bad atmosphere at the table though. Naruto couldn't really be sure since his mother wasn't really the type to care about delicate situations like this one. If she wanted to spout off about something she deemed worthy of spouting off, then heaven help you to stop her because god knows Naruto or Minato couldn't.

"What made you pick this place? You couldn't have had the time to actually look at it all that long."

"Sasuke, we were sitting at that light for almost ten full minutes. We got a _really_ good look." Minato cringed remembering the cruel wait to pass through the light as his wife and her best friend carried on about how Sasuke would probably like this or that Naruto might enjoy that. He loved his wife and child, and his best friend's wife and children but he could only take so much.

"I don't particularly care how we came across this place; I just care about when we're going to be ready to order."

"Itachi, mind your manners. We are in public and I expect you to behave like the young gentleman you are despite how ravenous you may be. I do hope that you'll at least use a knife and fork when your order arrives," Fugaku mildly scolded his eldest son.

"You never know Mr. Uchiha, he may just get finger foods so that he doesn't have to bother with eating utensils!" Naruto joked and Sasuke gave a light snicker at his older brother's expense in response. Itachi narrowed his eyes at Naruto's comment but the oldest Uchiha just scoffed and resumed looking at his menu. After spending a good many years with the man though, Naruto could tell he was amused by the joke.

"Hello, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting, my name is Hiro and I will be your waiter this evening. Let me start off by telling you that our special tonight is the porterhouse steak lightly seasoned and aged twenty-two days before grilled that includes two sides of mixed vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes. May I start you off with some drinks? We have Pepsi products, flavored iced teas, coffee or I could get you something from the bar."

The two families ordered their drinks, none of them being of the alcoholic nature since the situation from the day still wasn't resolved and inebriation wouldn't help the matter, and the young man walked away to fetch them. They all browsed through the menu until almost everybody had decided on something but, as usual with new restaurants, Naruto was having a hard time finding something he liked.

"Dobe, it's not that difficult. They have a four cheese penne here that you can add shrimp and chicken to, and I know you like that."

"I saw that but I don't know if I want that or the two stuffed chicken breasts with a honey mustard sauce."

"They both sound good so why don't I get one and you get the other so that we can split it?"

"Because that makes us seem like we're a couple! And it's too damn girly to split entrees!"

"We did it before, why not now?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because I have somebody that could be watching my every movement as we speak who also just so happens to have you on his hit list!" Naruto rasped irritatingly at the raven. Sasuke sighed and massaged his temple to quell the headache that was coming.

"I told you its fine. Let him try, you know as well as the rest of us that if this guy is serious about not pissing you off he won't hurt me. You told me that in the last letter he sent that if you didn't want me hurt, he wouldn't hurt me."

"That's not what I said. I told you that if I picked him you would be safe and that if I picked you, he would kill you and take me anyway."

"That's why I told you I wanted to see the damn thing. I want to read it for myself."

"And I told you that I don't have it right now. The cops took all of them for evidence so I don't even know if I'll be getting them back."

"That doesn't mean I can't ask them to let me see it. If I'm going to be your boyfriend then I have to know all the circumstances I'm going to be dealing with until this creep is out of our way."

"Teme, we aren't dating yet. I told you I didn't know."

"You said you would choose me every time, so why aren't you choosing me now?"

"Because I don't want you to be killed."

"I won't be killed. You have to trust me, Naruto. I know how to defend myself too, in case you forgot the judo and karate belts I have."

"I know what _you're_ capable of, but we don't know what _he_ is capable of."

"That's why I said you have to trust me."

"How did we get on this topic?!"

"You didn't choose a dish and you didn't want to listen to me and split them when they came."

"Ugh, I'll just close my eyes and point to something then."

"Boys, boys please…just get the two dishes and be done with it. Our waiter is going to be back any minute and Itachi is about ready to punch someone if he doesn't get to put in his order soon," Kushina sighed, seemingly tired of the situation.

"Oh Kushina, let them reconnect. It's good for them to act this way rather than have them avoid eye contact and sit at opposite ends of the table while still wondering what the other is going to order. I'm pretty sure if it wasn't like this the whole night would be awkward and uncomfortable don't you agree?" Mikoto smiled and rested her chin in the palms of her hands while her elbows were placed on the table; not minding her own manners much to the chagrin of her husband. Though he supposed if his darling wife was happy then he shouldn't complain. He too had wanted the squabbling to continue for a little longer since it seemed to make Sasuke a little happier. Even if the 'fight' was his relationship status with Naruto.

"We all know that my son is going to give in to your son and that Sasuke is also going to be ordering dessert for the two of them. We all may as well get a table of our own and let them have their first date!" Kushina laughed back.

That was when Sasuke decided to drop the bomb shell, and he would have had the waiter not come with their beverages and to take their orders. Hiro went around the table jotting down each person's meal in his little notepad and asked if he could get them anything else while they waited. Minato and Fugaku both said 'no' and the man was once more on his way to the kitchen to place their orders. Maybe if Naruto's mother was serious, and after this conversation was over, he and Naruto could really get their own table.

"So Naruto is your son now?"

"Sasuke! What are you doing?!"

"Asking your mother a question."

"Do you have to bring that up here of all places?! She forgot it, you teme!"

"That doesn't sit right with me Naruto, and you damn well know it. So, Mrs. Namikaze-Uzumaki" Sasuke put more emphasis on her maiden name, "is Naruto your son now?"

"Sasuke…what are you talking about?" Kushina asked confused as to why her best friend's youngest child was questioning the parentage of her son.

"I believe Naruto told me something very…interesting…while we were alone earlier and it doesn't make me happy."

Sasuke's tone was icy, the rest of the Uchiha family was lost, Naruto held his head down to avoid looking at anyone else, Kushina was looking back and forth from Naruto to Sasuke and Minato sighed in resignation.

"Kushina…you said some things while you were 'red' again. I know you didn't mean them, and I'm sure Naruto does as well, but it looks like Sasuke wants some answers."

"Minato…what did I say exactly? Why is Sasuke asking me if Naruto is my son?"

"According to your _son_ you claimed that he wasn't your child because he wasn't man enough to face is his problems," Sasuke nearly growled at the woman.

"Kushina!" Mikoto gasped.

The other two at the table also looked at the redhead with wide eyes and partly open mouths. They had both known that the woman could be brash and sometimes a little harsh, but most of the time when she lost her temper she stayed reasonable. Itachi hadn't known that she sometimes forgot what she said; he always assumed that it was selective memory or that she just didn't want to talk about it, but Fugaku was witness to this certain aspect of his best friend's wife many times. He believed it had something to do with her basic upbringing and it was a possible psychological defense against mental anguish, but to say something like that to her only child and then forget only to leave him with the hurt was something else.

"Sasuke, apologize to Kushina; you're being terribly rude and this is not the place or time for a discussion such as this," Fugaku warned.

"I won't back down from this issue, father. Naruto was hurt by it and as his boyfriend it's my job to make sure that he's free from that hurt."

"Sasuke, I'll say it again; this is not the place or the time. Drop the subject now."

"No Fu, it's alright. Let Sasuke talk; he needs to get this off his chest."

"Minato, what are you –?"

"Please Fu…Sasuke has more courage than I do to confront her, and I'm her husband. Please let's just get this out and over with."

"Minato, what are you saying? Did I really say that to our baby? Did I…? Did I hurt him like that?"

"Yes, you did. So answer me; is he your son now?"

"Sasuke, he's always been my son; he'll forever be my son! I don't care what he does or if he doesn't tell me things or if he wants to keep things to himself; he'll always be my baby…my little Naruto."

Kushina looked at her boy with tears in her eyes and couldn't refrain from maneuvering her way around the table to embrace him; something that Sasuke was both happy for but also very discontented with.

"I'm so sorry baby. I'm so sorry for what I said or what I did. I didn't mean any of it, I promise. I never want you to feel that I don't love you for not telling me something or trying to sort out your own feelings. I don't want you to think that you can't come to me with a problem or even if you just want to talk. I love you baby and I always will, and I will NEVER let you think that you're not my son again. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Forgive me honey, please. I don't know what I'd do if you didn't want me to be your mother."

"Mom…it's okay. I understand. I knew that you would probably forget saying it and I didn't want you to remember if you did. I would have been okay with it; I know what you really think of me."

"That's no excuse sweetheart; no parent should ever say that to their child. I'm sorry Naruto, not only for saying it but for forgetting I said it. I can't believe I did such a terrible thing," she continued crying. It wasn't hysterical, loud crying that captured everyone's attention like Sasuke was sort of afraid of happening. Unnecessary attention could alert the wrong kind of person and they could be kicked out, or worse Naruto's stalker could know something. Kushina's crying was simply tears rolling down her cheeks while she held Naruto to her side as though he was still small.

"Well I suppose this is the best result that could come of the situation. But Sasuke, when we get home I'm going to have a serious talk with you about your behavior. I don't care if it was for Naruto's benefit or whatever your reason was; this was not the place to do it."

"Fugaku, it's alright, really. Kushina and Naruto are okay now, so I really have to thank your son. He really is an amazing young man. I can see why Naruto's stalker feels threatened."

"Mr. Namikaze, with all due respect, the guy should feel threatened. He harassed your son and threatened to kill my little brother; he should have known that the full weight of both the Uchiha family and the Namikaze family would be on him. The man brought this on himself," Itachi said.

"Yes, you're right Itachi. Now Kushina, do you mind letting our pride and joy go so that he may breathe? I also think that Sasuke is going to try and rip your arms off if you don't let him go soon."

"Oh! Naruto I'm sorry! Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, take big deep breaths," she coached.

"Thanks…mom. I thought…I was a…goner."

Naruto panted for a few more seconds while Sasuke rubbed his back and tried to pull him closer to his side. Kushina got him his drink and Naruto took a few large sips before he calmed down and settled back into his seat. He had to admit that he felt better now that the bad air with his mother was cleared. Now if he could just get rid of the stalker then all would be well in the world and he could be with Sasuke!

"I'm fine now mom, you can go back to your seat beside dad."

"I think I'll settle here for a little while, at least until our food comes. You've had a very hard day sweetie and I want to make sure you're okay."

"Kushina let the boys sit in their own little world for a while. This is the first time in two months that I've seen Sasuke act so normal."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked. Sasuke sighed next to him and laid his head in his hand that was on the table. Naruto gave him a puzzled look and missed the look of sheer joy on Itachi's face. Now was the time to burn some of the mileage he had accumulated on his little brother.

"Oh Naruto, I can't believe he didn't tell you how much he moped around looking at his phone waiting for you to call him. He ignored almost everyone else that visited him in favor of simply looking at old photos of the two of you together. It was truly a sad, sad sight to behold. But I guess if it was for you he thought it was alright to behave that way."

"I never looked at old photos and I didn't stare at my phone waiting for a call."

"Denial is so unflattering little brother, Naruto will love you more if you're honest with yourself."

"I didn't do that. End of story. Period."

"Sasuke. Did I make you do all of those things?"

"No. Because I didn't do them."

"Don't lie to me Sasuke-teme. You know I can just ask your mom."

"…I may have checked my phone for missed calls or texts every now and then during my classes…and I might have gotten our yearbooks out a couple times…but I never stared at anything just waiting around!" Sasuke huffed defiantly.

"Oh Naruto, we were all so miserable! It was so hard just watching him day-in day-out while he did nothing to help the situation. Your pink-haired friend came over twice asking him what she could do to help but all he did was ignore her and shut himself up in his room."

"I can believe that. Sasuke never really got along with Sakura since she's had that huge crush on him since elementary school."

"She's dating Sai now so she's more tolerable but it still creeps me out."

"It creeps you out because Sai looks so much like you that you think she's just using him as a 'dummy Sasuke' am I right?"

"That's part of it but she still tries things."

"You are aware that she was one of the ones that tried to get me together with you our senior year right?"

"So you've told me, but she hasn't proved that yet."

"Trust me, she's been rooting for us since Sai moved to our neighborhood."

"Boys, food's here."

Sasuke and Naruto blinked a couple of times when they realized that Minato had spoken the truth and their waiter was coming towards them with a very full tray. Kushina moved back to her spot beside her husband, leaving the two boys to sit in peace beside each other or at least as peaceful as they could get with the combined families. As he had previously suggested, Sasuke split his entrée in half with Naruto's and enjoyed seeing said blonde devour the food that they had chosen to partake in for the evening. Naruto blushed and grumbled as he looked around the rest of the room they were in to see if anybody was looking at them. The raven and his older brother noticed this so Itachi picked up his plate, annoyed that the meal he had waited so long for was briefly interrupted, and moved to the other side of the blonde. Naruto was at first confused but in his new seat nobody could really see him between the two ravens so he ultimately didn't complain. Naruto, now happy that he had his food and some sort of security, reached under the table and placed a hand on Sasuke's knee, making Sasuke raise his eyebrow and send him a rather smug smirk. Naruto only huffed and continued eating and sipping on his drink. Sasuke and Naruto were in their own little world while the adults ate and talked about the next course of action they should take against the stalker.

"So the boys already know what their options are as far as schooling goes, but what are the police doing about their safety? They surely don't have enough man-power to spare to follow a couple of young adults," Mikoto commented.

"I think that Mr. Sarutobi will fill us in when we return to the station after we're finished here," Fugaku answered his wife.

"I wish you had gotten some information out of them on the ride here, Mikoto. Right now they're in their own little wonderland and I highly doubt they can hear us!" Kushina giggled.

"They can hear you all just fine. They're just choosing to ignore you in favor of being with each other after such a long silence."

"Yes Itachi, but we still want to know how everything is going to happen with the police. We're all worried about them," Minato said.

"Mr. Namikaze, I'm sure that the authorities are going to do everything they can to help your son and my little brother. But for now all we can do is wait it out. They can't really instigate any course of pursuit of this man until something else comes up or they get forensics. This person has obviously done some homework if he knows about Naruto's personal life as well as Sasuke's. Sasuke and I tend to cover our tracks very well, thank you for teaching us father, and we make it very difficult to find information about us."

"As Uchiha children I expect no less from my sons. You two have been exposed to the lime-light more than a few times so you both understand how important it is to watch your steps."

"Fugaku, Naruto knows how to cover himself well too. Don't think we don't know that Itachi's friends have been trying to keep tabs on Naruto for the past two months. And if I recall, they all had more than a bit of trouble completing that task," Minato stated proudly. He was proud that his son knew how to take care of himself and at the same time the dark thought that the stalker was that much better than they had originally suspected crept into his mind. If Naruto could keep himself hidden from Itachi's group of friends for this long then just how was this stalker keeping track of him so well?

"Yes your son is also skilled in that category. He managed to escape the public's interest for nearly ten years before someone leaked that he was your son, Minato."

"We never found out who that was either. Not like it mattered at the time; we were going to reveal it on his birthday that year anyway," Kushina added.

"He's done well for himself without my name's influence. His grandparents were shocked though. They had thought that we would have wanted to groom him to be the next head of the company and push him to go into business like Sasuke. Jiraiya was certainly happy when we informed him differently though," Minato smiled as he remembered the man's reaction.

"The pervert wanted to hold a party for him since he wasn't going to, and I quote, 'be another dull suit that only expressed themselves in shades of gray.' I put a stop to that real quick, didn't I honey?"

"She threw him through a wall…and then Tsunade threw him back through the same wall after Kushina got done with him."

"Is that why you had to live with us for a month while your mansion was being repaired?"

"Yes Itachi, the wall that was destroyed was unfortunately a foundation wall. We were lucky the whole place didn't come down on us back then." Minato shuddered at the memory but then recalled how happy his son was that he got to live with his best friend for a whole month. The youngest Uchiha was also happy, not that he made it clear to the adults, that they were guests in his home. The month was filled with many park trips, video game nights, broken vases, 'bug-the-crap-out-of-Itachi' days, and nights sharing a bed. It was indeed a paradise for the then six and seven-year-olds.

"The boys certainly didn't mind that you stayed. After you all left Sasuke didn't want to eat with us for two days since he thought we kicked you out," Fugaku exasperated. It was a pain to get his youngest son to understand that his best friend wasn't leaving for good. It took a lot of tomato-themed dishes to coax him to dine with them again.

"Well that's all well and good but can we get back on topic? What do you think is going to happen next?" Itachi asked.

"We already concluded that the police will give us some more information when we get back tonight. There is really nothing we can speculate on until they tell us what our options are. Ultimately though Naruto is the one who will have to decide," Minato answered.

"I'm not talking about the police. What about the stalker? Now that the police are in the picture how do you think he'll react to this?"

"It's a good question but I think we all hope he'll back off."

"I don't think that's likely Kushina, as much as we all want that to happen. If he sent mutilated pictures of Sasuke then he's most likely to carry on with whatever delusion he has in his head. Things could stop for a while or they could get exponentially worse."

"I agree with Itachi. This man is clearly serious about whatever he has planned for Naruto."

"Minato, Kushina, we have something to tell you as well. Sasuke informed us of this before we left to go to the station earlier, but Naruto had a stalker in high school during their sophomore year. Did you have any idea about that?"

"We knew about the person, yes, but we didn't think much about it since they left the next year. Plus Sasuke told us that it was a girl that time. Naruto has had many admirers, male and female, in his life so when Sasuke told us someone was following him around we just assumed it was a fan girl. Nothing serious ever came out of it; heck I don't even think Naruto was aware of her."

"Have you seen the girl before?"

"Yes, she followed him home a couple of times before, but she never came within fifteen feet of Naruto."

"Do you remember what she looked like? I know that it may be irrelevant now but if this could help the officers it might give them a lead."

"Well…she had long brown hair and I don't really remember her eye color. She was pretty, had a pale complexion, not so curvy, and was average height. She didn't seem to wear tight clothes like most of the girls in their school did but she was up on the latest fashion trends. It looked like she came from a middle-class neighborhood since she didn't really fit in with the rest of the place but if it was a disguise she could have done a much better job. I don't remember all the times I had to blend into a crowd when I was in the core."

"Sasuke told us that she moved away with another boy before senior year started. They could have been a brother-sister pair but Sasuke said he didn't know," Itachi pondered.

"Either way, if it helps the police to catch this person and give Naruto some peace of mind, then it couldn't hurt to inform them." Fugaku smirked as he looked at the two boys now clearing their plates and stealing sips from each other's drinks. His Sasuke looked so content now; a drastic change from how he was in the car on the way to see Naruto earlier. If they were indeed dating now then he wished the two all the best the world could offer them. He would do everything in his power to keep the blonde safe, for not only his best friend, but for his son's happiness. Sasuke was an Uchiha, and an Uchiha got what they wanted. If Sasuke wanted this stalker to be locked up and have the key thrown away for making Naruto miserable, then Fugaku would unleash every demon from the seven pits of hell to make it happen. Then again, Fugaku knew his sons well and knew that Sasuke wouldn't be happy unless the man had suffered as he made Naruto suffer.

"Hey, mom, when the waiter comes around next, can we get dessert?"

"Dobe, haven't you had enough? You're going to make yourself sick."

"But the peanut butter chocolate lava cake looks really good."

"If you like ingesting diabetes it looks good, I guess."

"You're just pissed that they don't have any of your mint chocolate coffee brownie desserts. We haven't been here before – we don't know what they have!"

"I'm not pissed they don't have my favorite dessert, I'm saying we don't need to have dessert here. We can just go to that ice cream parlor beside your campus you've been telling me about later tonight."

"That actually sounds like a good idea, Sasuke. It'll be a nice treat before we drop Naruto off at his apartment and we head back home," Fugaku stated dabbing his mouth with his napkin as he finished his lamb chops.

"Drop him off?" Sasuke asked slowly.

"Yes son, he does need to head home tonight. We'll all take him when we're finished at the police station later."

"You mean we're leaving him alone?"

"Unless the police tell us something different, Minato and Kushina can stay with him tonight."

"But tomorrow is Sunday…we don't have work and I don't have school. Why can't I stay with him?"

"Sasuke, don't behave like a child now. We can't all stay with Naruto tonight, and not only that but it may put you both in more danger than necessary."

"I…yes father," Sasuke resigned.

Naruto looked at his best friend with sympathy and understanding. If the roles had been reversed then Naruto would have begged and pleaded to stay close to Sasuke in case anything happened to him. Given the situation though, Naruto had to agree with Sasuke's father. He didn't want Sasuke to be put at a higher risk of danger just because he wanted to spend the night with him. That stage could come later when the stalker wasn't an issue and the threat was over but for now it had to wait. Naruto would have voiced his concern about it but the waiter came with their check and Fugaku took care of it. Mikoto and Kushina excused themselves to go to the ladies room while Itachi, Minato and Fugaku finished off their drinks and waited for their wives to return. Sasuke was quiet and it concerned Naruto a good bit. Sasuke had been talking and actually smiling at him the whole meal and now it seemed that the happy atmosphere had been murdered. Naruto placed his hand on top of Sasuke's that had been placed on the table and Sasuke jolted up a little bit in surprise. He looked at his hand and focused on Naruto for a few seconds. Naruto beamed a large grin at him and Sasuke gave his own tiny smile back. Sasuke shifted his appendage so that their fingers locked and joined the rest of the family in the wait for the two mothers to return.

Soon the two families were back in their respective vehicles, this time Sasuke and Naruto in the backseat of the Jaguar with Kushina and Minato in the front and the rest of the Uchiha family in the Enclave. Thirty minutes later they had arrived back at the police station. When they walked back into the bullpen Naruto could hear an officer yelling and screaming about scratch marks and bites all over his arms. He also realized that they were walked towards the room he left his precious kitten in and the screams were getting louder. Opening the door, he saw the same officer that had questioned him before grabbing at his cat tightly while his poor baby was struggling to get loose. The man was squeezing Kyuubi around the middle of his nimble body hard enough to make the poor cat meow and hiss angrily. Naruto stood frozen as his baby finally noticed him in the room and cried out even more than he already was. The officer yelled as he acquired yet another set of scratch marks and shook the feline.

"You damn thing, if you didn't belong to my blonde I'd drown you!"

"What…are you doing to my kitten?!"

The officer turned to look at Naruto in shock and quickly tried to explain what he was caught doing. At the outburst another officer came to see what was going on. It had happened to be Anko and she looked beyond pissed. It seemed as though she heard the 'my blonde' comment and wasn't too happy about it. Naruto rushed to save his baby and Sasuke chose that moment to enter the room as well. He had gotten both of their phones back from the technical department and was going to return Naruto's to him but the scene at hand was much more intriguing. Sasuke looked at Naruto and studied his tense posture and noticed he was holding his kitten rather protectively and that he was also glaring at the officer crouching on the floor in front of said kitten's carrier. The officer looked about ready to soil himself and Anko gently pushed the two boys aside to apprehend the young man.

"Get out here, Yomi. I think we need to have a little 'chat' with Ibiki."

"You don't understand, Miss. Anko, I was in charge of looking after the cat while they were gone!"

"We gave that task to Genma, not you. So you can come with me and explain everything to Ibiki," she said gaining a sinister grin.

"I was just doing as was ordered of me! Naruto, you believe me don't you?"

"You just said you would drown my kitten! Get away from me!"

"Come on Yomi, before I take you straight to lock-up."

Anko took him away and lead him to one of the interrogation rooms before informing Ibiki of the situation. She then made her way to Sarutobi's office to inform him as well and that was when the Uchiha's and Namikaze's joined their respective sons.

"We were just informed about the options the two of you have regarding security. Naruto, which one do you want to do?"

"I'm going with the first option. I'm pretty sure if I was taken out of school now it would look like I was a drop-out. Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei will be keeping an eye on me too, so you guys don't have so much to worry about."

"Naruto, this would be a perfect chance to study abroad. I'm sure that there are good schools that focus on your field of study in America."

"Dad, I told you before that I didn't want to study abroad. All of my friends are here and at this point I think it's a little too late to enroll anywhere without waiting a few months."

"He's right Mr. Namikaze. He's safest here where we can all keep tabs on him. If he went abroad then nobody would have a way of knowing if he went missing or if he was doing anything he shouldn't be doing."

"Wow teme, I thought you were on my side. Way to kill my college experience before I had it."

"I'm not saying you shouldn't have it – I'm saying that you can't have it right now. You have at least four more years of school to get through before you can say college is over. There will be parties, booze, slutty girls, and men wearing togas all year; you can skip a few of them until this creep is brought in."

"That is if they haven't caught him already."

"What do you mean Naruto?" Mikoto questioned.

"The officer that detective Mitarashi took away a few minutes ago…I caught him trying to kill Kyuubi and he said that I was 'his Naruto'. It was the same cop that took us to the interrogation room earlier today."

"You mean the one that was supposed to go over your protection options with us but instead asked you things about the break-in?"

"Yeah mom…that one."

"Well if he's the stalker then the problem is solved. Still to err on the side of caution I think we should still ask for the protection detail to take effect. We have to be one-hundred percent sure before anyone can breathe easy."

Sasuke agreed with his mother but looking at Itachi he could tell that his brother was thinking about something very deeply. He was only ever that focused when it came to business deals and the suspicious meetings he had with his friends from high school. Usually when Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu, Nagato and Kisame all got together nothing ended well for whoever their target was. This time though Sasuke could tell Itachi had more drive behind his thinking. And he couldn't hold it against him. Naruto looked pensive, cornered, isolated and down-right scared right now. Sasuke assumed that Naruto had his doubts about the police officer's 'capture' as well but for the time-being there was nothing they could do. They would all have to wait and see if anything was able to be pulled from the security footage in Naruto's apartment building.

"Well, Mr. Sarutobi told us that we could all go home as soon as we were up to speed on everything they've done for the day. There will be two officers standing guard at your apartment tonight and their shift change will be at two o'clock in the morning."

"Um…Mr. Uchiha?"

"You know you can call me Fugaku Naruto, but yes?"

"Can Sasuke stay with me tonight along with my parents?"

"Naruto honey, I don't think that's a good idea. We discussed this at dinner."

"I would feel a lot better if he stayed with me tonight instead of going back home with you guys. Mom and dad can take him back to the Uchiha manor tomorrow when they leave if that's the problem!"

"I agree with Naruto," Itachi stated cryptically.

"Itachi, what are you talking about? You know that your little brother is in danger as well."

"Sasuke is a big boy who has a black belt in both judo and karate; he can defend himself if the need arises. I am also very aware that Naruto can protect himself as well but having the two of them together would not hurt anything right now."

"I agree with Itachi. I don't want Naruto left with just two policemen and his parents. I'm not saying that Mr. and Mrs. Namikaze aren't capable of protecting Naruto but I would feel better if I were with him too."

"Snow angel, please think carefully about this." Mikoto moved towards her younger son and placed a comforting hand on his right cheek. Her brows were furrowed in concern and she had a frown on her beautiful face. Sasuke let out a short sigh and smiled at his mother before placing a hand on top of hers to assure her he would be okay.

"I've thought enough about what I wanted for two months. Now that I have him mom, I can't let him go. I want to be with him to keep him safe."

"If you're sure about this I can't stop you. I can only threaten Minato and Kushina to take care of you while they're there."

"That won't be necessary Mikoto. You know we treat Sasuke as our own. Maybe in a few years we could be in-laws like we talked about in high school!" Kushina laughed. Mikoto chuckled with her as she remembered that the two had indeed dreamed of being family one day. Mikoto always knew she wanted a small family and when she finally accepted Fugaku she could see no one else being the father of her children. They both had turned out beautifully, so when she discovered that her best friend had given birth, it was only a mild disappointment that the baby had been a boy. Now though she was thinking that it wouldn't really matter since the two boys fell in love anyway.

"We had better be going now. Mikoto say goodbye while I get Sasuke's things from the car."

"Why don't we all just head out? It's already past eight and the sooner Naruto is in the safety of his apartment the better," Minato stated.

The two families walked back to the parking lot after they secured Naruto's cat in his carrier, transferred Sasuke's suitcase to the Jaguar, said their goodbyes and separated for the night. Minato, Kushina, Naruto and Sasuke headed back to Naruto's apartment while the Uchihas decided to find a hotel in the area in case anything happened the next day. When the Namikaze-Uzumaki family arrived to the apartment building they were let in by the afternoon shift guard and made their way to Naruto's unit. Sasuke took the space in and could say he was impressed with what Naruto had done. Naruto put the carrier down and let Kyuubi out to explore his surroundings once again and get reacquainted with his home.

"So I only have one guest room, who's claiming it?"

"Your parents can have it. I'll take the couch."

"Teme, you can sleep in my room. I have an extra futon so it's no big deal. The couch is nice to play games on, but sleeping on it is a pain."

"If someone tries to get in then they'll have to get past me first."

"Or there is the possibility that they could abduct or kill you first. Did you think of that? My bedroom is in the back of the apartment and I not only installed cameras, but a security system."

"That's all well and good, and I'm sure that Shikamaru did an outstanding job, but having an actual person watching the door is a better idea."

"Then why not let someone with real experience do it, Sasuke?" Kushina suggested.

"Mom?"

"Naruto you just let me take care of this for now. Mikoto wouldn't let me hear the end of it if something happened to Sasuke and I'm not about to let anybody near my baby. After what I said to you earlier today, this is the least I can do to make up for it," she said with a serious expression on her face and steel in her eyes. Naruto knew his mother wasn't going to back down so he sighed and agreed with her.

"Alright, but just be careful. Do you want to sleep out here with her dad or take the guest room?"

"I'll be out here with your mother. I'm also a black belt in judo, plus I have a black belt in tae kwon do, don't forget."

"I remember. I'll get the futon. Sasuke it looks like you're in the guest room."

"Aww, and you were so eager to let me sleep in your room five minutes ago. Does the offer still stand?"

"I think it's better to keep us separate because if anybody gets past mom and dad, we don't stand a snowball's chance in hell. It'll be harder to get to us if we're separated."

"No Naruto, Sasuke should stay with you. I know you're just trying to put on a brave face right now but I can see how scared you are to be back here. Once this is all over we'll find you a new apartment with even more security."

"More security or not mom, if the guy is good with computers and can hack a system there is no stopping him from getting in. But right now I don't give a damn about that – Sasuke my room is this way!" Naruto shouted as he quickly pulled Sasuke down the hall, surprising the raven. He had barely had time to grab his bag Naruto dragged him away so fast. After Naruto had gotten the futon out for his father and finished setting it all up for him, Sasuke and Naruto settled into the comfort of the queen sized bed to call it a night. Fully clothed and on opposite sides of the bed but the Uchiha wasn't about to complain. It was much better than sleeping in an empty guest room or the cold floor. They both fell asleep quickly but at some point, Naruto had drifted over to Sasuke's side seeking comfort. Sasuke awoke with a start thinking someone was attacking him, but when he pulled back the covers to see the pajama clad Naruto he relaxed. Sasuke settled back down and pulled the blonde into his arms and smiled. One year ago Sasuke could only dream that this could really happen to him but now it was real. Sasuke felt so relaxed but high with excitement at the same time. His excitement was short-lived however when he felt Naruto shudder in his sleep. His blonde seemed to be having a nightmare, but really who could blame him? Sasuke could only guess how many he actually had in the two months the stalker had been around for. Sasuke shushed him and stroked his hair while whispering reassuring things in his ear. Naruto calmed down and fell into a comfortable slumber once again before Sasuke too drifted off to dreams.

The next morning, the peace was shattered by a piercing scream and loud crash. Minato and Kushina, along with two officers carrying cups of fresh coffee burst into Naruto's bedroom to see Sasuke holding the blonde trying to calm him down, and Naruto desperately trying to crawl away from his bedside table. Four heads turned to look at said table to see an envelope unfolded and bright red letters on the paper. Minato bravely stepped towards in, being mindful of his sons fear and Sasuke's rage, and picked it up. He put it back down and slammed his fist into the table, splitting the wood and thus destroying the piece. The paper floated down to the floor and Naruto buried his head in Sasuke's shoulder, crying and curling up in a tight ball. The letter was now clear for the rest of them to see. Kushina gasped, and the police officers quickly called in the incident to the chief.

 _Good guess. Try again. I'll still be here._

 _Your haven._


	11. Chapter 11

**Oooooohhhh we're getting more creepy! And a little bit sad...BUT I think you'll all forgive me in the long run! ...I hope! So this is ONE of the ways that I wanted the story to go. I'm not sure if I'll post an alternate chapter of how the other way could have gone since you guys won't have known the difference but I'll see how you guys like this chapter. It all comes around full circle by the middle of the next chapter so I don't think it's necessary to do it right now. I WILL ask however that you don't ask for/demand to know the alternate storyline in your reviews until you know where this is going NEXT chapter. Since I have the longer update schedule now (thank you to those who actually voted) I would have to post TWO chapters on the 31st instead of the one. And both of them would be long...and you guys sort of wanted longer chapter with longer but regular updates so I'm not posting two long chapters on the same day unless I miss a scheduled update day. I'm usually pretty good about that stuff though so it shouldn't be a problem, but I just ask that you keep THIS chapter's storyline in mind and not wonder how the alternate one would be. Plus I like this one better! It make you feel things...like I hope you guys feel things when I write. I feel bad doing this sort of thing to Naruto but for the sake of the feels, it needs to be done! So onward my readers! Feel for Naruto and Sasuke! FEEL!**

Naruto curled himself up in the tightest ball he could contort his body into and Sasuke was helpless to do anything but continue to hold him. Naruto was shaking badly, trying to rock himself back and forth and he was muttering something almost incoherent. Kushina came over to them and Sasuke glanced up at her to see exactly what she would do. She sat down next to him and placed a hand on Naruto's back as a form of comfort. Naruto looked up slowly at her and reached out for her. She had tears in her eyes as she opened her arms for him to crawl into.

"We'll help you, baby. Mama is here now," she soothed.

Naruto launched himself into her arms and buried his face in her chest as she ran her fingers through his hair. He started to cry and continued shaking, still saying something that the rest of the people in the room couldn't quite hear. Sasuke looked at his love and his mother and vowed that if he ever came in contact with the man who dared to make Naruto feel this way, that man would be no more. Sasuke would rather face life in prison for murder of the worst degree than to ever see Naruto cry like this again. The raven was startled when he felt Minato place a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to face the man.

"Let's leave them be for a little while, Sasuke. We have to call your parents about this too."

"Were the police informed?"

"The two officers already called it in. The two detectives should be here in the next half an hour. Meanwhile, I want you to do something for me."

"What would that be?"

"Find Naruto's suitcase and pack some things for him. I won't let my son stay here."

"If he's not staying here then he can stay with my family and me. Itachi has some connections with people that can protect him, and you know we have plenty of space."

"That'll be fine but for now we have to let some cards fall before we do anything. I can't decide to send him with you if the police want to move him to an undisclosed location."

"I understand. I'll find Naruto's suitcase and start packing. I'll also call my father."

"Don't worry about your father – I'll talk to him. You just focus on what I asked you to do."

"I will and thank you."

Sasuke got up from the bed and walked to Naruto's closet to try and find his suitcase. It wasn't really that difficult and once he had it he started picking some clothes he knew Naruto didn't wear too often to pack. He was sure that if the stalker was watching Naruto's every move that he knew what the blonde wore all the time. This called for a shopping spree and some…feminine help. As much as it pained him, Sakura was the only one he could call and trust to not blow it up into more than what it was. He recalled her saying that Naruto needed a wardrobe change when the three of them were together when he was 'with' Suigetsu, so she wouldn't find college shopping suspicious. The only issue Sasuke would have to explain would be him speaking to Naruto again after two months. This was going to be a pain and Sasuke knew it, but if it was for Naruto he was willing to put himself through hell. Sasuke continued to grab shirts, pants, underwear, socks and other garments Naruto would need before he closed the closet and walked out of the room. With one more look at Naruto and Kushina on the bed, and briefly wondering why the blonde wasn't calming down, he ventured down the hall until he found Minato. The man had his cell phone pressed to his ear and his other hand was rubbing his temples tiredly as he stopped every now and then to listen and answer whichever family member of his was on the other line.

"Yes Fugaku they're both alright but Naruto is pretty badly shaken. No there was nothing else on the note, just what I told you. Sasuke is packing a bag for Naruto now so that we can get him out of here but I don't know where exactly he'll be staying. The police are on their way but I'm not sure if it will just be the detectives or if Mr. Sarutobi will be coming as well. I don't know how the guy got in, or how he got out for that matter but I'll tell you more about it when I see you later. Yes, tell Mikoto that we'll leave for your hotel as soon as the police get done with things here. I'll call you again if anything else happens. Okay, we'll see you soon then. Good-bye."

"Was father upset?"

Minato turned around and gave Sasuke a small smile.

"He was angry, yes, but not at you or Naruto. He's quite pissed with the stalker and the police officers that were stationed as security for the night."

"What about you? Was he mad at you?"

"He didn't say he was, but I think he's more upset at the situation. I didn't exactly tell him that Kushina and I were out in the living room."

"I think that was wise."

"Did you find everything okay? Is the suitcase ready?"

"For the most part. I'll need to take him shopping for new clothes though."

"That'd be smart. If we change his appearance a bit then it might help to hide him better once he gets to where he'll be staying."

"There is a problem though."

"And that would be?"

"I have to call Sakura."

"I see. What are you going to tell her?"

"That Naruto needs college clothes and that he wanted to spend some time with her. But then that opens up another problem."

"And what would that be?"

"She knows that Naruto had been avoiding me since graduation. She might find it suspicious that we're all of a sudden spending time together again."

"Is there anything I can do to help smooth it over?"

"I don't know."

"I'd wait to give her that call then. We'll ask Naruto what to tell her and go from there. For now all we can do is wait until the police get here."

Discontent with the older blonde's answer, Sasuke huffed and turned away from the man. He heard Minato sigh and then a shuffling of feet followed by the movement of fabric presumably from the couch. Sasuke chose to stand where he was and think over the events of the morning and those leading up to it. Last night had been fine aside from Naruto's nightmare but again he had no idea if Naruto had been having nightmares for the past few weeks. He never heard anybody come in or rustle around the room either and he was a very light sleeper. He did remember feeling warm and tingly when Naruto curled himself up in his arms but they were both quick to fall back to sleep. If Naruto had gotten up at any point last night, he was sure that he would have noticed the jostling of the blankets and sheets because he would have woken up. So far he wasn't doing a very good job at piecing anything together, but there was nearly nothing to work with! All he knew was that when he woke up, Naruto had still been sleeping on his chest and that his arm was around Naruto's waist. When Naruto opened his eyes and saw what position he was in, he blushed and turned away in a hurry to detach himself from the raven and then he froze. Sasuke had wondered what Naruto was doing so he sat up and followed Naruto's gaze to the bedside table. Naruto had then crawled towards the white piece of paper, opened it and screamed. Sasuke had been so surprised that he had nearly fallen out of bed had it not been for Naruto scrambling back into his arms.

Sasuke walked back down the hallway towards the bedroom to check up on Naruto but was stopped by something on the wall. There was another note, folded in an envelope shape, and suspended from the wall by a pair of hair needles that had been jammed into the plaster. Not wanting to mess with the evidence until the police arrived Sasuke went back to the living room to inform Minato of his discovery.

"Minato…there is something you want to see."

"What is it?"

"You'd better just look."

Minato stood up and followed the young raven to where the note was on the wall. The man's face drained of its color and he brought a hand to his mouth as his eyes fluttered a few times as though he were going to be sick. Suddenly Kushina ran past them and into the bathroom startling the two in her way. Just as quickly as she had come, she ran back into Naruto's bedroom but Sasuke saw what she had run to get – Naruto's inhaler. The blonde must have had an attack and that would mean a trip to the hospital. Minato was about to follow his wife to see their son but there was a knock on the door that stopped him.

"Go to Naruto, I'll see to whoever it is. He probably needs to see you as much as you need to see him."

"Thank you Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded to him and left to answer the door that was now being pounded on in an ungodly horrible, rapid succession. Flinging the door open after unlocking it Sasuke was smart enough to step aside before he was struck in the face by whoever was knocking, and detectives Ibiki and Anko along with the chief flowed into the apartment.

"Where is the kid?!"

"Anko, calm down – his father said he was still here and in his room, shaken but safe."

"Ibiki, go secure the security videos from the building manager. Anko, you interview Kushina and her husband. I'll go speak to Naruto and Sasuke."

"Excuse me for interrupting, but you'll have to wait to talk to Naruto," Sasuke quipped as he came out from behind the door.

"Sasuke, thank goodness you're safe as well. Where is Naruto?"

"He's in his bedroom with his parents but he's had an asthma attack so I'm afraid you can't talk to him yet."

"Does he need taken to the hospital?"

"I don't know. Mr. Namikaze and I just saw his mom rush past and then run back into his room with his inhaler. He was shaking pretty bad when I left the room twenty minutes ago."

"You were with him?"

"I slept in his room, yes."

"Good, then we don't need to talk to Naruto if we don't have to. You two, go do what I ordered you to do and once you're finished go straight back to the station to deliver any evidence to Orochimaru."

Anko immediately left to fulfill her orders and she disappeared down the hall. Ibiki also nodded and went back downstairs to secure the, hopefully helpful, security videos. Warrants be damned, he would pry them out of the manager's fingers if he had to. Now that Sarutobi and Sasuke were alone, Sasuke took a breath and turned to the older man to ask his question.

"Who is Orochimaru?"

"He's our forensic analyst and I was he and Naruto's grandparents mentor when they were younger. He's brilliant and highly knowledgeable about many things in this world, but his passion is for forensics. He's the one who found the fingerprint and the residue on the photos yesterday."

"If he's able to get anything that will help us nail this son of a bitch to the wall then I don't care what he does."

"I'm in full agreement."

"There is something else, Mr. Sarutobi."

"Please, tell me."

"There is another letter…hanging from the wall in the hallway by a pair of hair sticks."

"Have you touched it yet?"

"No, I only found it right before Mrs. Namikaze got Naruto's inhaler."

"Has Naruto seen it yet?"

"He hasn't left his room yet sir. His dad saw it and he looked like he was going to be sick but I don't think his mom noticed it."

Sasuke was about to take him to the spot in the hall where the envelope was hanging but before they could make it Anko sped past them as she was barking into her hand-held. She was speaking loudly enough that Sasuke could clearly hear everything she was saying.

"This is detective Mitarashi, badge number 2584; I need a bus at 6th and East Rokudaime Avenue apartment unit 509. Victim is asthmatic and hyperventilating and his medication is having no effect, repeat medication has no effect. Notify EMT's that the victim is a high profile and that his identity is to remain confidential. Keep roadways clear of major traffic and direct the route to Konoha General Hospital. Inform the ER doctor Tsunade Sanin of the arriving victim."

A garbled response saying that an ambulance was on the way was heard and Sasuke felt his knees go weak and his blood run cold. Sarutobi put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed in reassurance. When Sasuke looked at the man though he found sympathetic but stony eyes; it was clear that he couldn't join his love.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, but I can't have you go with him until I've finished speaking with you. Minato and Kushina will be with him at the hospital and I promise to take you there personally once we're done, but for now I need you here."

Sasuke nodded his head and tried to collect himself as best as he could. Instead of going into the hall like they had planned, the two sat back down on the couch and waited to talk until Naruto had been taken to the hospital. Minato appeared two minutes later carrying Naruto who had clearly passed out and Kushina followed with tears streaming down her face. Sarutobi stood up to try and calm the poor woman down.

"Take deep breaths Kushina, an ambulance is on its way; they'll take good care of him."

"Sir, I don't know what to do! My baby has been suffering so much lately and he couldn't even tell me about it! And now some whack-job with a twisted sense of affection has made him so stressed it triggered his asthma! How much more can my baby boy take?" she cried miserably.

"He's strong, I can tell by looking at him. Look how long he's gone without help and think about what anyone else would do. Your son will make it through this."

"But he won't be the same," Kushina softly spoke, trying to regain a control over her emotions.

"Sasuke, would you call your family and tell them that we will be at the hospital with Naruto? Minato and I can't stay here."

"Sure…my phone is in his room though, with the rest of my stuff."

"He can go and get it, just don't touch anything until the investigators get here to process everything," Sarutobi informed.

"I have to join Minato. Sasuke, just come to the hospital whenever you can; make sure you tell Mr. Sarutobi everything and try to nail this son of a bitch to the ground so that my high heels can stomp him into his grave."

Kushina left after giving Sasuke a brief hug and a nod towards Ibiki who had just returned from the manager's office. Sasuke took the opportunity to head towards the bedroom again to retrieve his cell phone. Hesitating to step into the room at the open door, he could hear Naruto's phone going off since the default device ringtone was blaring. Shaking his head to get rid of the anxiety, he crossed the room to reach his overnight bag and rummaged through it to find his cell. Why he had put it in his bag last night when they left the police station he had no idea, but that detail wasn't really important right now. Finding the device and checking it, he noticed that he had three missed text messages and two missed calls. Upon inspection, he found that the calls he missed were from Itachi and that two of the texts were from Suigetsu. The third was from Shikamaru of all people and he couldn't help but wonder just what the lazy genius wanted. Reading Shikamaru's message first, his eyes widened a bit in surprise and suspicion.

 _Look at the cameras in his apartment. It wasn't all hypothetical._

Sasuke looked around the room, suddenly remembering Naruto telling him about the cameras and security system, to try and find any camera and after some hard 'investigating' he saw three of them pointing towards the bed, window and door. Sasuke replied back to him quickly and got up to inform the police of what he had found. Ibiki and Sarutobi were standing in the living room with a few more officers that had forensics kits and crime scene markers surrounding them and the chief was barking orders at them left and right. The Uchiha cleared his throat and everyone turned to look at him. Not at all fazed by the attention, he cleared his throat again and started to tell everyone what happened.

"I got a text message a couple hours ago from one of Naruto's friends saying to check the cameras that are all around the apartment. I looked for the ones in the bedroom and there are three; one at the door, another at the bed, and the last at the window. They weren't really easy to find if you catch my drift either. If the stalker didn't know about them, he's probably on the footage."

"Good work Sasuke. Two of you go into the room and get the cameras, but remember to take photos and measurements. You know the drill by now," Ibiki barked at two younger officers. It seemed like they were new to the force and Sasuke almost prayed that his Naruto was in good hands.

"Where is the other officer?"

"Anko is with Naruto and his family heading towards the hospital."

"Have we heard anything?"

"It's been ten minutes kid – I doubt they're even there yet. We'll tell you as soon as we know anything."

"Ibiki, be more understanding. He's had a very rough morning and we all don't get paid enough for this. Sasuke come sit with me and we can go over your side of the story."

"I thought I already did."

"Not quite in detail; we still have to go over some things if you don't mind."

"Alright, but can I call my parents first?"

"Of course."

Sasuke walked into the kitchen, which seemed to be the only place that wasn't swarming with men in blue and dialed Itachi's number instead of his parents. His brother wouldn't be too happy since he didn't answer his calls before but at least they were being returned now. Itachi picked up after three rings.

 _"_ _It's about time you answered, little brother; I was about to call you again in five minutes. We're almost ready to come to Naruto's apartment since nobody called us again. I know you were supposed to come here but mother is quite worried."_

"Itachi…."

 _"_ _Sasuke, I know that this is a very stressful situation for you but we won't be deterred from coming to see you two. I don't care if the police are already there; father didn't give us a lot of details, just that you were all coming over here."_

"Itachi, something happened."

 _"…_ _.what?"_

"The stalker…he was here…last night some time. He left another letter and a note beside Naruto's bed."

 _"_ _Who is with you?"_

"The chief of police and detective Ibiki. A bunch of other officers are here too."

 _"_ _Where is Naruto? What about Minato and Kushina? Are you alright?"_

"Naruto had…he had an asthma attack…his medicine didn't help him, so he's on his way to the hospital."

 _"_ _Are his parents with him? What about YOU?!"_

"I couldn't go with them because someone had to stay and talk to the police. Mrs. Namikaze told me to call mother and father and tell them that she's at the hospital."

 _"_ _That's all well and good Sasuke, but what about you?"_

"I'm…I…I'm afraid for him Itachi. I'd never seen him so shaken up."

 _"_ _It's understandable, Sasuke. He has a lot on his plate right now, panicking is a natural response."_

"You weren't here, Itachi, you didn't see him! He looked like he was trying to run from a ghost. He was white and he was screaming and scrambling to get away from the note so hard that he may have hurt himself…."

 _"_ _Sasuke…tell me what I should do."_

"I don't know what you mean."

 _"_ _You are fully aware of what strings I can pull, little brother. Tell me what you want me to do with them."_

"Itachi, doing that could get you in a lot of trouble."

 _"_ _Don't you think Naruto is worth the risk? I've done much darker things, Sasuke. I can do this with no problem. Now, tell me what you want me to do."_

"…Tell mom and dad to go to the hospital. Konoha General and ask for Tsunade. Have them drop you off here. I want you…to pull your strings."

 _"_ _We'll be there in twenty minutes. I have a few calls to make on the way. Cooperate with the police as best you can, and wait for me. Don't answer your phone for anyone else – not even Minato or Kushina. If they try to reach you, tell the police to tell them to go through me. Any text messages you get, forward them to me and I'll take it all from there."_

"I know. Just get here quick."

 _"_ _Mother will drive."_

"Good enough. Itachi…I don't like this."

 _"_ _None of us do, but Naruto will be safe in the long run. Trust me Sasuke."_

Itachi hung up and Sasuke sighed. Gathering his composure he went back into the living room to sit with the chief and go over everything he wanted to know.

"Did you get ahold of your parents?"

"I spoke to my brother. He'll be coming here while my parents go to the hospital. Now what do you want to know?"

"First Sasuke, I think we should read the latest letter."

"Okay…."

Sarutobi put on the latex gloves and grabbed the letter from the officer who was standing beside him that Sasuke hadn't noticed before. Unfolding the letter gently and scanning it quickly to see if it was different from the others, Sarutobi read it out loud.

 _Dear my love,_

 _I know what you've done. I am aware of who is with you now. Did you want to keep him safe? Did you want to protect him on your own? Why couldn't you trust my word, my love? You know I would have kept it. I'm just like you; I never go back on my word. I saw what those officers did, how they dragged you out to their station and forced you to reveal our secret. They all have to pay now. And don't think that I forgot your mother. Who is she to speak to you like that?! She may have created you, but you are the one that had to mold yourself into the person you are today! If you are not her son, then you shouldn't want her as your mother. Sasuke…he's lied to you for the last time as well. He's got you wrapped around his grubby little fingers; trying to taint you and make you impure! He told you he loved you…he said it wasn't his intention to hurt you…but he lied to you. It's all a power trip to him. He so desperately wants to be like his brother but he's nothing compared to even Itachi's shadow! Why can't you see the truth my love? It's me who knows you, me who wants nothing more than to love you! Choose me darling, before I don't give you an option anymore. I can assure you…you won't like the alternative. Now the choices are different; it's me or Sasuke. Kill Sasuke, or kill yourself. That's the only way you'll be free from him and the torture he gives you. Choose me and he'll die, choose him and I'll kill you both. I do this to free you…my precious person._

 _And regarding the officer who dared to call you 'his' he will be dealt with. You've no need to worry about such a mindless person any longer. And to think…they thought he was me. You'll find out soon enough…you just need a trigger._

 _Your haven._

Sasuke bit his lower lip in an attempt to suppress his anger towards the unknown man. He was arrogant, dominant, and slowly spiraling out of control. From what Sasuke understood he knew that the person was driven by his obsession with Naruto, but unless Naruto rejected him outright he didn't want to hurt him. In that aspect his blonde dobe was safe, but he knew also that the asthma/panic attack earlier would be a stressor for the stalker. If he learned that he hurt Naruto, in a way that the creep thought was indirectly, he might grow bolder and try to abduct Naruto. It would be a risky and idiotic move on his part though, seeing as the hospital would be giving Naruto care and keeping him healthy.

The man was warped and twisted, as many stalkers were, but he had a unique trait that set him apart from the normal frame a stalker takes on. From what Sasuke knew, and what his friends told him, stalkers tended to have social problems or trouble forming any sort of connection with people aside from their target. This guy seemed to have either connections with other people or he had friends in high places. There was no way that the guy could have known what the police officer had said about Naruto in the station the night before unless he was there himself, which was highly unlikely. If the stalker had been there he would have either confronted Naruto or they would have seen someone who was reserved, quiet, and observant of the blonde. Not only that, but in order to get into the apartment building he had to have certain methods of getting in. Before the Namikaze-Uzumaki family, and Sasuke himself, came up to the apartment last night, the owner of the building had informed Naruto that the locks had been changed on his door and he had given Naruto a new access card and room key. For the stalker to have been here last night would mean that he either worked in the building as well and copied Naruto's key, or somebody let him in.

"Sasuke, are you still with me?" Sarutobi asked as Sasuke seemed to distance himself inside of his thoughts.

"Hm…yes I'm still here. I'm just thinking about things."

"I encourage that but right now I'm going to begin asking you questions about last night."

"Alright, go ahead."

"Around what time would you say you got here last night?"

"It would have been around nine or just shortly after. The afternoon guards you posted let us in but we stopped to talk with the owner of the place about the locks on Naruto's door and his access card being changed."

"Did you go anywhere after you arrived here?"

"No."

"What happened once you settled in for the night?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Namikaze stayed out here in the living room to keep watch over things and make sure nobody got in and Naruto and I went to bed."

"Did you sleep separately or together?"

"Together but just in the same bed. Not in…the other sense of the meaning."

"I didn't think you would. Now do you remember anything happening before you fell asleep?"

"Not really…I woke up once when Naruto was having a nightmare. He was shivering and curled up next to me trying to get comfortable. I held him to calm him down and he drifted off again pretty quickly."

"Do you know around what time that was?"

"No. I could see the clock on Naruto's bedside table but I don't remember what time it said it was."

"That's alright. Was there anything else you thought was unusual? Were there any lights on coming from the hallway or were the curtains in the bedroom pushed aside?"

"…I think…I remember a breeze last night. Naruto has a ceiling fan but it wasn't on. It wasn't cold but…I remember pulling the blankets up before I fell back asleep holding Naruto."

"It may be possible the stalker came in through the window. Did you hear anything last night?"

"No, and if he came into the room before I was holding Naruto I would have seen him. I'm a light sleeper and it doesn't take a lot to wake me up, so I definitely would have heard if somebody had climbed in through the window or tried to open it."

"Okay, Sasuke but we'll try to work the window angle until we get some camera footage back. Now, I want you to think back to when you first woke up this morning. How did everything start out?"

"Naruto was still in my arms. I woke up first but I was really groggy, which is unusual for me. It was around eight o'clock when I finally felt Naruto start to wake up. He saw that I was holding him, blushed and tried to get away from me. He stopped suddenly while looking at the table and then he crawled over to it. I asked him what was wrong but he wouldn't answer me. Naruto started shaking and then he screamed. I didn't even have time to blink before he was crawling backwards on the bed until he reached me. I held him again and tried to ask him what was wrong but he wouldn't answer me and just curled up in the fetal position. A couple minutes later his parents and two officers barged in and then I saw Mr. Namikaze look at the floor. That's when I saw the note."

"What did you do after that?"

"Naruto's mom took him after he went to her and his dad asked me to pack a bag for him so that he wouldn't stay here any longer. I packed the bag while he called my family and then we waited for you. I went to check on him but then stopped when I saw the letter pinned to the wall. I called his dad, he came and saw it too then Naruto's mom rushed out to the bathroom and came back with his inhaler. I told Mr. Namikaze to be with Naruto and that's when you all started banging on the door."

"Alright Sasuke, you did well. I can get a crime scene analyst to go over everything better when he gets these notes."

The two were interrupted by five rapid knocks on the door followed by a call of Sasuke's name. The young raven quickly stood up and strode over to open the door knowing that his big brother was on the other side of it. Sure enough Itachi stood sharp and intimidating in the doorway before he quickly pulled Sasuke into a hug.

"I'm happy you're safe little brother. How are you holding up?" Itachi asked, resuming his 'big bad, big brother' stance.

"I'm alright but still worried about Naruto. He was passed out when Minato carried him downstairs."

"Have you heard anything from Minato yet?"

"No, I've been talking with the police chief."

"Alright then, so what do we have?"

"I'm very sorry Mr. Uchiha but we don't have much to go on yet. We'll have more definitive answers for you when we get everything back to the lab for Orochimaru to analyze."

"I assume he's your forensic scientist?"

"Yes, and he's one of the best."

"I trust you, but right this second I cannot put my full faith in you or your department. Either they sorely lack the competent skills of keeping watch over a victim or the stalker is better than all of your men."

"Itachi, don't."

"Little brother your life could have been ended last night, as well as Naruto's. It's only our luck that the stalker hasn't completely snapped and just decided to take Naruto otherwise this could have turned into a blood bath."

"Itachi, it's not their fault that all of this is happening."

"Mr. Uchiha I assure you I will personally interrogate the officers on duty last night about their actions but I ask that you give me time to do so. I do have an investigation on my hands."

"Mr. Sarutobi, with all due respect I have the skill and the authority to stop your investigation in its tracks and take it over. I'm an official member of the 'Red Cloud' crime prevention organization, otherwise known as 'Akatsuki'."

"'Akatsuki?' It's only a college."

"That is where you're mistaken. Yes it's a college for the intellectually gifted but others such as the other members of my team can be selected to join from the top recruitment officers in the country. I cannot disclose what we do in detail but I can assure you we get it done efficiently and effectively."

"Itachi, how do you have time for all of this?"

"Between running the company and accomplishing my assignments I manage to make time for everything. I am a genius, Sasuke don't forget."

"I knew you did some shady things but I had no clue that my school was involved in it."

"The top echelon already have their eyes on you too Sasuke."

"Gentlemen, let's get back on topic please? We have a case to solve here and Naruto isn't any better off with us arguing like this."

"I've already made some phone calls to some of my people who owe me favors. They're working with the information I've given them so far, but I need more in order to be of any help to them."

"I'll have the department give you full access to any forensics reports and evidence we find as long as the boy is safe."

"Thank you. Now is Sasuke free to go visit Naruto?"

"I'm finished speaking to him for now so I don't see the harm in him leaving. But please keep him available for future actions we have to take."

"If you wish to contact him, please do so through me first."

"If that's how you want things done, very well."

"Thank you very much. Sasuke, go get dressed, quickly. Unfortunately you can't shower here like you usually do in the mornings but I don't think you'll have a problem with it as long as you get to see Naruto."

Not wasting a second of the precious time they had, Sasuke went to retrieve his clothes from Naruto's room and excused himself to change in the bathroom so as not to disturb the crime scene. After he was finished and presentable, Sasuke and Itachi nodded at the elderly police chief before they left the apartment to head to the hospital. Coming out to the parking garage, Sasuke saw his parents still sitting there in the Enclave waiting. Eyes widening in surprise, the younger of the two turned to his brother and asked the silent question.

"I wasn't here in twenty minutes because I spent ten trying to convince our mother to leave me here with you and meet us later. She insisted that we go to the hospital as a family."

"I have…no problems with that."

Sasuke and Itachi made it to the vehicle, crawled into the back seat and waited for their mother to start driving. Fugaku turned to face them from the passenger seat and took in the sight of his youngest son. His hair was brushed but not neat, clothes thrown on hastily so he looked ruffled, and his eyes were red and he had slight bags under them.

"Compared to how I imagined you looking, I'd say you're holding up very well. I'm proud of you Sasuke."

"Thank you father."

"Don't thank me Sasuke, this isn't over yet. I can't begin to imagine how you're actually feeling right now."

"I can tell you how this stalker will be feeling once my stilettos find his balls if he has any."

"Mikoto, please behave yourself."

"I agree with mother, quite frankly. Except the stilettos part of course, I would rather use a club with nails in it."

"Itachi, you don't have to go medieval on the freak. I had hoped that the Akatsuki organization would have taught you better, more modern ways to torture a victim."

"They have father. It's just that the club would give him a good bashing and the nails were an added touch."

"Either way, this creep is going to pay. Poor Naruto is in the hospital and my snow angel looks like he's going to cry any minute."

"I'm not going to cry mother."

"You can try and hide it from everyone else, snow angel but you can't hide anything from your mother."

Sasuke knew she was right. The stress from the past two months and all of yesterday combined with the events from this morning left Sasuke emotionally drained and physically exhausted. All he wanted at this point was to make sure Naruto was alright and out of harm's way so that they could be together. The drive to the hospital seemed to take hours but was only forty-five minutes in reality. Coming to the entrance to the visitor's center, Sasuke stood by his mother and held her hand as his father and brother went up to the reception desk. On the way, Sasuke had informed them that Naruto was considered a high profile case so his identity wasn't kept on official record. Fugaku asked for Tsunade Sanin's latest patient and they were directed up to the third floor recovery wing. They came to room 341 that the nurse told them Naruto was in and the Uchiha's saw Minato talking to Tsunade and Kushina stroking Naruto's hair while he slept. Naruto looked much better than when he had been in his apartment but he still had an oxygen line and an IV. Minato and Tsunade stopped their conversation when they noticed the Uchiha family enter the room. Mikoto quietly went to Kushina's side and hugged her as Fugaku went to put a hand on Minato's shoulder in comfort. Itachi and Sasuke stood on the other side of Naruto's bed and Sasuke too began to stroke the blonde's hair. Naruto stirred and leaned his head towards Sasuke, and Kushina smiled a bit.

"He always knows when you're nearby," she whispered.

"What happened to him?" Mikoto asked as she turned to address Tsunade.

"The brat suffered a severe asthma attack coupled with a panic attack, thus causing his inhaler to have no effect. We gave him oxygen and a steroid drip along with a low dose muscle relaxant to stop the symptoms but we're still observing him. The brat was unconscious when he arrived but came too about an hour ago. He remembered everything and immediately asked for Sasuke. The poor kid fell asleep again about half an hour ago."

"He knows I'm here now."

"I'm sure he does, brat. I called his grandfather earlier too so he'll be here in the next few minutes or so."

"Do you want some time alone with him Sasuke?" Minato asked knowing that the youngest raven wanted nothing more than to assure himself that Naruto was alright.

"I do, but it can wait until he's awake. For now I just want to stay here."

Itachi rubbed his back in soothing circles similar to the way their mother was doing to Kushina. Tsunade checked Naruto's vitals again before leaving to continue her work. Fugaku and Minato announced that they were going to go for a coffee run and asked if anyone wanted anything. Mikoto told them to bring a hot chocolate with mint flavoring and extra whipped cream for Kushina while everyone else declined the offer. The two men then left and a little while later, Naruto's eyes started to flutter open. Kushina perked up, as well as Sasuke, and they waited for Naruto to fully open his eyes and take in his surroundings. Stopping to look at his mother, he saw Mikoto smiling at him and quickly turned to the other side of his bed. Seeing Sasuke, Naruto sighed and smiled and brought his hand up to hold the other's. Kushina kissed his forehead and stroked his hair again before Itachi led the two women out of the room. Sasuke kissed Naruto's forehead as well and crossed the room to sit on the chair Kushina had previously occupied.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore. Tired. But I'm okay for now."

"You had us all scared you dobe."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're alright now, that's what's important."

"I shouldn't be here though."

"I know."

"If it wasn't…for that note…and that…."

"And that what?"

"The reason why I panicked."

"Naruto…tell me. What happened to make you act like that? I know the note was creepy but to make you shiver like that and cling to me? What else was there?"

"I had a nightmare."

"The one I woke up to?"

"No, I remember you holding on to me then. This was after that. In it, I was barely awake but I was still in your arms and a man had been standing over you. He was dressed in all black with a white mask covering the lower part of his face. He had longer hair and brown eyes but he just…stared at you. Then he looked at me and said, 'dear my love' and held up a knife. I tried to scream or get up to push him away from you but I couldn't move or talk. I felt tears start to fall down my face and he stopped just before the knife hit you. The man put the knife away and wiped the tears away before telling me that I'd see him again. I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to say 'go die' and then I woke up beside you. When I saw the note…I knew it was all real and that…he really was standing there last night. I knew he really did try to kill you."

Naruto sniffled and hot tears came out from his eyes again but Sasuke just lowered the bed railing so that he could collect the blonde in his arms and rock him back and forth, all the while being mindful of his IV and oxygen tube.

"It won't happen baby. We'll be fine now. Everything will be okay and our mothers will use the bastard's corpse as a dart board using their shoes as weapons."

"He was there, Sasuke. I know his eyes. I've seen them before."

"Are you sure?"

"I know I've seen them before. But it was a long time ago."

"Do you know them from school?"

"I…think so. But not from college…high school. Sophomore year."

"Do you mean that girl that was following you everywhere that you apparently never noticed?"

"Sasuke-teme…I don't think she was a _she_."


	12. Chapter 12

**This took me for-freaking-ever to type up! Not only that but I was also trying to write another one-shot featuring these boys for my birthday today and I have been so tired and caught up with drama that I've had no time. Luckily I have some birthday plans going on later tonight with my friends so hopefully I can get some Z's before then.**

 **This is finally chapter twelve! Can any of you believe that we're this far into the story already?! Well most of you, if you haven't already guessed who the stalker is, can breathe easy because he IS REVEALED in this chapter! A few of you have already guessed correctly so hats off to you to those of you who picked up on my clues, I love you so much! It makes me feel like you actually paid attention to the details I took so much time to write and it makes me feel like my work is appreciated :) Now then, no jumping around to try and find where he's revealed because there is still some information that you need before that happens in the chapter, and I know that I've been guilty on more than one occasion of skipping in order to satisfy my curiosity only to find myself lost. Please as a birthday gift to me, read the chapter the whole way through and tell me what you think. Most of the chapter is a bit boring and sort of 'go nowhere-ish' but it's all still important. Like the last chapter, it was made to make you empathize and sympathize with Sasuke and Naruto. It's for the sake of feels.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot. Naruto characters and the Naruto franchise belong to Masashi Kishimoto because if it belonged to me, a lot a yaoi fans would have had a very happy ending. I also did some research about a lot of the nitty-gritty things mentioned in this chapter but if you want to know where I got my information specifically, send me a PM or leave a review. Guests, please be aware that I cannot respond to you in any way! I would love to answer your questions or clear up your confusions, but you leave me no way of doing so!**

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"What are you talking about?"

"I might just have it wrong but that's the only thing I can think of right now that makes any sort of sense. I never knew what happened to that person but maybe he or she came back?"

"I'll help Itachi with some of the investigating – you just get your rest."

"Why is your brother investigating?"

"Well, uh, it's umm…."

"Sasuke…did you ask for a favor?" Naruto questioned weakly, trying to keep his eyes open. The feel of Sasuke's arms around him finally registered in his brain and it gave him a very secure feeling. Sleep wasn't that far off and having the stress of the last few weeks pile up like a Jenga tower to a toppling-over point and finally collapse probably wasn't helping his condition.

"If it makes you feel better, he offered to help you. I didn't have to ask him for anything."

"I know your brother is a really good businessman, but what exactly can he do?"

"He has some…connections…with people. Don't you worry about it, he'll come up with something that will help us."

"If you say so. What are the police doing about this? Mom said they were told about it."

"They're investigating the break-in and they took the note you found for evidence. He might have gotten in through the window but climbing from five stories up isn't exactly a cake-walk."

"It might not be but if someone is determined they'd find ways."

"You don't have to tell me about it. I do have a legion of fans following me every waking moment of my day back at school."

"That's right, you have to go back to school tomorrow."

"Not necessarily. I've only got to take one more final before the semester ends on Thursday but I'm sure if I ask my father he'll call the dean and ask if I could take my test early. With everything going on with your stalker and the threat against me, I'm sure he'd be willing to cooperate with us."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't want any of this to affect you."

"You have nothing to be sorry for; it's the stalker that's going to be sorry."

"Still…."

"Never you mind it for now. Close your eyes and get some more sleep. I'm sure that you could use it."

"I want to see my family first. As comfortable as you are I need to talk to them. I have to stay awake until they know I'm okay."

"Your grandmother said that you were awake for a while before I got here, so they already know."

"They know I'm alive – not that I'm okay."

"If you insist. What about the police? That detective Mitarashi came here with you and I don't think she's left yet. The chief wanted to get your statement but he said it would be okay with just mine."

"They still need to know about the dream that may have been real."

"True but they can ask you about everything whenever you're out of here. Do you want me to get your family for you now?"

"Where are they?"

"Your mom is out in the hall with Itachi and my mother but your dad went with my father on a coffee run. Oh and your grandfather will be here shortly, if not already."

Naruto only nodded his head but even though he had told Sasuke he wanted to stay awake he couldn't win the battle against his heavy eyelids for long. As soon as Sasuke was positive that Naruto was out cold, he moved him out of his arms and tucked him back into the uncomfortable hospital bed. After he checked all of the devices again, and looking at his arm that the IV drip was attached to to make sure that the tubing hadn't been dislodged, Sasuke kissed the tanned forehead and walked out of the room. Greeting him at the door was Jiraiya and he didn't look at all happy with the situation. Sasuke bowed in respect to the man and waited for him to speak before he opened his mouth and said something that might upset the porn director.

"So kid, how's my grandson?"

"He's alright. He says he's sore and tired but that he's okay."

"And what exactly did you and the brat talk about while you were in there?"

"Umm…I asked how he was-"

"I don't want to know about the usual stuff like how he was feeling or anything like that. I know the kid has been having some problems where you're concerned for the past couple of months. If I find out that you made him any more miserable than he already is, then I suggest you stand out of my way."

The white-haired man could easily bend Sasuke in half, and not in the natural direction, so Sasuke didn't want to take any chances with upsetting him. He sounded angry, and not just because his precious, not to mention only grandson was lying in a hospital bed it seemed. Sasuke then knew that the man was aware of the separation and what Sasuke had done to make Naruto so upset and miserable for two months and he couldn't suppress the shudder that went down his spine when he thought about what it would mean for him if he and Naruto hadn't made up before that moment. Jiraiya Sanin was nobody to mess with and the only things that got him away from his work were the books that he wrote and his grandson. Naruto was his golden child that could do no wrong and the old pervert used to spoil him rotten any chance he got. Sasuke remembered whenever he and Tsunade would be with Naruto over the holidays that the Uchiha family shared with the Uzumaki-Namikaze family vividly. Christmases and Thanksgivings were always events that the two families got together for and Jiraiya took extra special care of Naruto and himself when it came to presents. Just two years ago though the old man had gifted him the complete set of Make-Out Paradise collector's edition with the black fuzzy handcuffs to match. Sasuke remembered the outraged look on his father's face when he saw the not so innocent books lying in his son's hands as the porn director beamed with pride and boasted that he could also sell him the movie if Sasuke so desired. Although Jiraiya was a goofball and had a dirty profession, he was a very skilled fighter and was wise in many aspects of life. Sasuke didn't think that there was anyone Naruto looked up to more than his grandfather – even if the relationship was not by blood.

Sasuke had asked years ago why Minato hadn't looked like his parents at one of Naruto's birthday parties and Naruto couldn't answer why. The blonde's father was kind and understanding enough when Sasuke asked him about it and he answered as best he could to an eight-year-old. Minato's birth parents died when he was fairly young, so he never really knew them but Jiraiya and Tsunade were close family friends that never had any luck with having babies of their own. When his parents passed away, no relatives came to claim him so the young couple didn't hesitate to take him in and raise him. As two early twenty-year-olds who were both still in college it was tough for them to raise a three-year-old but they made it work and Minato turned out okay. He didn't know when he started calling them 'mom' and 'dad' but Tsunade and Jiraiya never had any sort of problem with it, naturally.

Sasuke took an involuntary gulp and tried to form words but he was thankfully saved when he saw his father and Minato come into view. Minato smiled at him apologetically and came over to him immediately.

"Dad, when did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago, but I had to get someone to cover the shoot I was on. When your mom called me saying that Naruto was in the hospital I almost shut everything down and left."

"He's doing okay, at least according to mom. He had an asthma attack partnered with a panic attack so he's on steroids and oxygen for a little while then we can bring him home."

"I see. And what is the youngest Uchiha doing here, alone with my grandson, after he did all the things Naruto told me about over the summer?"

"They got everything straightened out dad, they're fine now. Things are okay between them for the time."

"Is that true kid?"

"Yes sir, I explained everything I did to Naruto yesterday afternoon."

"So why did he have a panic attack?"

"Dad…you and mom will want to sit down for that explanation but until then why don't we check in on him?"

"Minato, in case you've forgotten we need to get your wife her drink before she goes red and starts tearing apart your mother's hospital."

"If I recall Fugaku, it was your wife who ordered it for her," the blonde chuckled.

"Regardless, I don't want your wife to rampage around just because she didn't get her hot chocolate with skim milk, extra whipped cream and a flavor shot of mint."

"You're right, as usual. Sasuke, do you know where my wife got to?"

"She's with Itachi and mother in the guest lounge I suppose. Naruto fell asleep but he said that he wanted to talk with the two of you and his grandparents if they were both available."

"I'll make sure we all see him, so why don't you wait with him until we're all together?"

"Are you sure that's okay for me to do?"

"Don't worry Sasuke, my dad won't hurt you. He has to find mom after all," Minato said and gave Jiraiya a warning look. He may have been the man's son but it didn't mean that he couldn't intimidate the man from time to time. Where his son was involved Minato could turn into the devil himself if need be.

"Sure, sure. Tsunade should be doing her rounds by now unless she's been called into a surgery. I'll go check with the nurse's station."

Jiraiya left but he smiled at Sasuke beforehand to let him know that as long as things were straightened out the man was alright with Sasuke's presence. Sasuke smirked in return and walked back into Naruto's room to stay with him until his family returned for him. Twenty minutes later, with Naruto still asleep and stable, Minato, Kushina, Jiraiya and Tsunade all walked in together.

"How is my brat, Uchiha?"

"He's been still for the most part but he hasn't woken up since I left him earlier."

"Well once we all finish here he'll be going in for an MRI just to make sure that no brain damage occurred while he was out in the ambulance. It's better to be safe than sorry since I don't know how long he went without breathing before he got here."

"Sasuke, your brother wants to talk to you outside. He's waiting in the food court for you," Kushina said as her eyes never left her son. Sasuke nodded to her and bowed his head in respect before he left Naruto's room to find his brother. Walking down the hall and towards the elevator Sasuke waited for a few minutes before the box finally opened and he waltzed in. He pressed the button for the lobby and once the doors closed he let out a sigh. Sasuke knew that things were about to get serious and he wasn't anticipating all of the headaches that would assuredly come with it. Itachi was a frightening man whenever anything happened to his friends or family but Sasuke had never known Itachi to involve the Akatsuki in anything unless someone else ordered it. Sasuke had no idea just who his brother had contacted but if Director Pein were to get involved then all hell would break loose. In his thinking, Sasuke hadn't realized that the elevator had already stopped and opened its doors twice already until two other people stepped into the box with him. Sasuke was surprised when his name was called but when he looked up he felt a little relieved. Sai and Kiba were standing there looking at him as though he was dying. Kiba put a hand on his shoulder and asked if he was okay.

"I'm fine Kiba, I just spaced out is all."

"Spacing out or not that doesn't explain why you looked like death man. Why are you here in the first place? Did something happen to Suigetsu?"

"No moron, you wouldn't understand the situation," Sasuke glared and Kiba backed away a little. Sasuke couldn't bring himself to be too angry with the dog lover though, since he had no clue the whole relationship of their senior year was faked.

"Chill out dude, if anything happened, it's going to be okay. Though I think I can say Naruto might go back to normal."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't tell me you never noticed how mopey he looked while you and that guy were always around him? I thought the kid was going to burst from all the whining he made me sit through. Hell even Hinata wanted your blood for doing that to him!" Kiba explained as he raised his left eyebrow and turned his head down in mild curiosity and animosity.

"Kiba, I don't think we have the entire story, now do we Sasuke?" Sai asked with a small frown on his usually smiling face. Sasuke remained quiet but didn't make any gesture to indicate he was incorrect.

"So does that mean your girlfriend was right? Sasuke, did you break up with Suigetsu?"

"I was…never really going out with him."

"WHAT?! You've got to be kidding me! How were you never going out with him when you were with him all the time?! There's no way that you were conned into dating him; you looked way too happy to be forced into anything! And what about Naruto, huh? You basically gave up your friendship with him for Suigetsu by the end of senior year; why the hell would you do that if you never went out with the guy?!"

"Look, I can explain another, more appropriate time, but right now my brother is waiting for me in the food court. If you don't mind, I'm leaving now."

"Hold up then what are you doing here?" Kiba asked again. Sasuke stopped and thought about the same thing for Kiba and Sai. Sasuke looked at the two of them and tried to read their faces for any traces of knowledge that Naruto was here. Finding none Sasuke asked Kiba the same question.

"My mom had an accident at the clinic with one of the dogs and she had to come here to get some stitches. Sai came along because he was hanging out at my place when we got the call that she was heading here."

"Why did she come to this hospital? Don't you live closer to Naruto and me?"

"Well yeah but Naruto's grandma works here and mom said she'd rather be seen by a surgeon she knows rather than someone who doesn't have a clue what to do with a dog bite."

"So your mom drove two hours with a dog bite just to see Tsunade?" Sasuke questioned suspiciously.

"No, my sister drove. Why the twenty questions for me but you can't tell me what you're doing here?"

"It shouldn't be that difficult of a question to answer Sasuke. What are you doing here?" Sai now asked.

"Hn. I have to go find Itachi now."

With that Sasuke left the two and went to go find his older brother. True to Kushina's word he found the older raven next to the food court's coffee shop with his cell phone pressed against his ear and holding two coffee's in a carrier in his other hand. Sasuke glided over to him and took the beverages from him to have a seat at one of the tables, intending to give Itachi some privacy for his phone call. Not even thirty seconds passed before Itachi hung up and sat down across from his little brother.

"Do I want to know who you just talked to?"

"Nagato. He's doing something for Naruto right now but he should call me back in about an hour."

"Does it have anything to do with the strings you pulled?"

"Do you need to ask?"

"I'm just curious what you intend for to happen. It's not every day that you involve the Red Cloud with your 'every day affairs' as Sasori likes to call them."

"Sasori is also involved with the plan and he knows how important it is. Now then, how is little Naruto?"

"He's scared. Sore, tired, scared and I get the feeling that he wants to get out of here fast."

"If the police are willing to cooperate with me then he'll be out of here before November. But before we can launch everything into motion though, we have to make a few arrangements regarding you and Naruto."

"What would these 'arrangements' involve big brother?"

"I need to work out where you'll be going, who you'll be with, and how long you'll be gone. Plus we need to do some cosmetic changes to the both of you before it's all said and done."

"I can do that just fine on my own. I already spoke with Minato about calling Sakura to help Naruto do some clothes shopping," Sasuke confessed before he took a sip of his drink. The black liquid tasted bitter and it burned his throat going down but he decided it was better than nothing.

"It's not a bad idea Sasuke, but involving other people at this stage is a bit of a risk. If you want her to take him shopping then be one hundred percent sure that she's trustworthy," the older warned. Itachi wasn't giving any indications of playing around and he wasn't about to risk his little brother's life or the blonde's just because of a wardrobe change.

"She'll be fine but explaining how Naruto and I started talking again is going to be the main problem."

"I can see how that would be a challenge. If Naruto wouldn't tell his parents about the stalker then the chances of him telling that girl are almost negative."

"I figured I would give her a call once Naruto and I got a story together about it, but he's with his family and he's going for an MRI soon."

"Why does he need the MRI?"

"Tsunade doesn't want to take any chances with brain damage or anything like that since she doesn't know how long Naruto went without oxygen on the trip here. She said it was better to be safe than sorry."

"I agree. When will he be discharged?"

"Possibly after the MRI. I think she took some bloodwork too but that's all standard for hospital visits isn't it?"

"I'm sure that the police had something to do with it as well. So you didn't answer my whole question, little brother. How is Naruto?"

"If you're talking about his mental state I already told you; he's scared and he wants out of here."

"You're not telling me everything. Naruto wouldn't just have a panic attack because of a note found on his bedside table. Something else must have happened."

"He…had a nightmare that may not have been a nightmare. He said that he thought it might have really happened while we were sleeping," Sasuke hesitantly explained.

"A nightmare?" Itachi deadpanned.

"He saw the stalker…with a knife. He said that he was standing over me ready to kill me before he saw that Naruto was looking at him and crying. He wiped the tears away before he said he'd see him soon. Naruto said he woke up later in my arms this morning and saw the letter knowing it was real."

"You mean to tell me that the bastard was _in the room_ with you two last night?! Sasuke, that changes everything. I'm not waiting for the plan to unfold like I had originally wanted – I have to get the two of you out of here now!"

"Itachi can't you wait? We still have to meet up with the police and see what all they have right now. Plus mother and father need to be updated and I have to call my school, and Naruto's school has to be told."

"I already took care of your schooling, Sasuke and Naruto's won't be a problem either. I'm sure that the police chief already informed the head of Konoha Academy of the situation since he had undercover agents there already, and mother and father don't need to know everything that will be happening. The less people who know about all of this the better."

"I don't like where I think this is going…."

"It's not safe to do details here. I'll tell you more when we get home."

"What about Naru? What's going to happen to him while we go home?"

"He's not going to be staying here if Minato and Kushina have a say about it, that's for sure. You don't need to worry too much Sasuke."

"They were keeping watch in the living room when the stalker got in, how are they supposed to protect him when the guy can get past them with no problem?!"

"That's where I come in. Plus, why didn't you wake up if the stalker was hovering over you with a knife? Something more happened and we're going to find out what," Itachi said as he stood up to dispose of his now empty coffee cup.

"For now though, let's get you something to eat. It's already past noon and you haven't had breakfast yet so I'm sure that once your adrenaline dies down you'll be starving."

"I'm not in the mood for food, Itachi I want Naruto to be safe!"

"He will be. Just focus right now on taking care of your basic human essentials before things get even worse than they are."

Sasuke looked down at his lap and resigned himself to listen to his brother. He knew that Itachi was right and that he had things to do before Naruto was discharged but right now everything in his brain was being muddled together to make a soup of information that he couldn't sift through fast enough to comprehend it all. First off, Naruto's stalker definitely paid them a visit last night and he didn't know if he should count himself lucky they were alive or if he should be paranoid that they were alive. Sasuke's stalkers had nothing on this guy – compared to him all the girls that were on his tail were like kittens that just wanted some catnip. Secondly, Naruto's asthma that had been dormant for the last year had acted up again and his medicine was useless to him because of a panic attack caused by said stalker. If it wasn't for this bastard then Naruto would have been fine doing what he'd been doing for the past two months. Granted if it weren't for the stalker he probably wouldn't be on speaking terms with Naruto yet but he didn't want to give the bastard any sort of credit for bringing them together when it was his death threat that made it happen. Third, Itachi pulled some very heavy strings to do only God knows what in order to keep them 'safe' and Sasuke had no idea how he felt about that. On one hand he was glad to know that something was in the works to keep Naruto out of harms' way and attempt to give some normalcy to his life again, but on the other hand he had no idea what exactly that meant for Naruto. Would he have to go away to a foreign country for who knows how long and change everything about himself to try and shake the stalker? Would Naruto have to be under surveillance for an indefinite amount of time? What would this mean for his education or his family, not to mention his own relationship with Naruto? That also begs the question of what Itachi had planned for him. Sasuke knew he had a little more time to sort things out and get things situated because he had some really good connections with people but it still posed a problem with the stalker on the loose. How long would all of this be happening for? How long would he have to go without seeing Naruto again until he snapped? What was Itachi going to do about the police and all of the evidence they had to make sure that anything that transpired stayed legal? Sasuke wasn't sure but he knew that he was getting a headache now and if he didn't get anything to eat he might pass out. Itachi was right, the adrenaline was wearing off and he could barely keep himself upright while he was sitting, let alone standing up. During his thinking though he didn't notice his brother being replaced by his mother and father and the food being slid towards him on a tray. He looked up to see the worried faces of his parents and he tried to give them a weak smile, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. So many things were happening so fast that for once in his life he couldn't keep up and it was taking its toll.

"Snow angel, just take some deep breaths. Naruto is alright, he went for his MRI a few minutes ago and he should be walking out with us in about an hour," Mikoto assured him as she grabbed his hand and smiled at him.

"I already spoke with Minato and he said that Naruto would do better if he was away from the city for a while. He'll be coming home with us after we stop at the police station to go over some more information. Mr. Sarutobi wants us to speak with him and his forensic scientist before we head home," Fugaku informed him. Sasuke could only nod and try to breathe like his mother told him to. Try as he might Sasuke couldn't get past the lump in his throat that threatened to make him cry. Mikoto noticed his struggle and got up to sit beside him and pulled his head to rest on her shoulder. She shushed him and petted his hair until he thought he was okay enough to try and take a bite out of the sandwich in front of him.

"No baby, start with the fruit. I don't want you choking and have to admit you to this place as well."

"Mikoto he doesn't need instructions on how to eat."

"Fugaku…need I remind you how much has happened in the last twenty four hours? My baby may be an Uchiha but he's still human and needs some comfort. As his mother it's my job and responsibility to make sure that he's well taken care of and if that means teaching him how to eat again then so be it. I don't need to remind you about how your mother took care of you after I refused you at first in college now do I?"

"All I'm saying is let the boy do what he wants for now. He's handling a lot of intense things and it's only natural that he feels this way. Let him breathe."

Sasuke smirked through his nearly constricted throat at his father and nodded to him before he pushed himself off of his mother's shoulder to try and compose himself. He knew that if Naruto were to see him act like this the blonde would either make fun of him endlessly or coddle him to oblivion. Feeling a little bit better, and now having the correct posture for some deep breathing, Sasuke grabbed the spoon from the plate in front of him and scooped up some of the pear slices in the fruit cup to bring to his mouth. As he expected it was way too sweet for him with the added syrup but it was soft enough to make it past the lump in his throat with no problem. Mikoto smiled at him as Fugaku nodded in approval as well. After ten minutes, the sandwich, fruit, vanilla pudding and bottle of water were all finished and he felt like he could handle the next challenge a little easier than before. Itachi returned with the Namikaze family in tow and Naruto smiled at Sasuke before reaching for him. Sasuke got up and held the blonde close in a hug before he settled an arm around his waist to help keep him steady.

"I can walk okay teme, I just have to take it slow."

"Sure, and while you're dizzy from fainting and risking tumbling to the floor and hitting your head I'm just going to sit by and pretend I don't care. Just lean on me idiot. It'll be easier for you to get out of here without the use of a wheelchair."

"Jeez I didn't know you cared so much," Naruto joked as a soft smile appeared on his face.

"We do have to be careful about how it looks though. Kiba and Sai are here and I'm not sure if you want them to know about everything yet."

"What are they here for?"

"Kiba's mom got bitten by a dog. Don't ask me to explain why they came to this hospital but they don't seem to know you're here."

"That's a relief. I don't think I would know how to explain it. I've never had a panic attack before and I'm not sure how I would tell them why I had one without going into all the nitty-gritty details."

"Boys, who wants to ride with who to the police station? Minato and Kushina are going with Jiraiya but we have to know who's coming with us," Itachi said.

"Naruto, why don't you go with your family? It would give you a little more time to catch your grandparents up to speed with everything and I'll go with my family to try and sort out some more details about things."

"Okay, then I'll see you at the police station soon. Get there safely okay?"

"Father is driving so you'll get there at a much faster pace than we will, I do believe," Sasuke sighed but he smiled anyway. Naruto gave a small laugh and kissed Sasuke's cheek quickly. Jiraiya did the typical teenage 'oooohh' before Naruto blushed and glared at him a bit. Sasuke gave a slight chuckle in response but kissed Naruto's forehead despite the old man's jeering. Naruto blushed but headed towards his parents and grandparents as Sasuke climbed into his own parent's vehicle alongside Itachi.

"You carry yourself very well around him. It makes you his anchor little brother," Itachi commented as they situated themselves in the car.

"He's been a solid support for me so many times before this – it's the least I can do for him. Plus he's dealing with a lot more than I ever have in the past," he said back.

"Don't sell yourself short Sasuke, this is a very big deal to the both of you. I'm sure Naruto is feeling just as jumbled up as you are right now too," Mikoto added.

"We'll all help in any way we can. Once we talk to Mr. Sarutobi again and get some more information we'll move some of Naruto's things back to the house with us to make him more comfortable," his father offered ultimately making his youngest son happy and his older boy apprehensive. Itachi thought that although keeping the boys together was a wiser move for security purposes, it also gave the stalker a better opportunity to carry out both of his goals of stealing Naruto away and slashing into Sasuke's jugular vein.

The drive to the police station went a lot faster than Sasuke remembered it being last night but he did have to admit that traffic had been significantly lower than the hour at which they traveled yesterday. Not to mention that the hospital was only about a thirty minute drive away in case a prisoner had to be escorted there for emergency purposes or vice versa. Sasuke could recall some horror stories about some of the people that Tsunade had to work on due to police brutality or a brawl that got way too out of hand but he tended to favor not to recall those memories. Attempting to once again focus on the situation at hand, Sasuke tried to think of anything else that had transpired that morning that could potentially help the police in their investigation. Sasuke could only hope that the video cameras could provide something that he couldn't or at least give them a clue about who to look for. Naruto said that he had dark eyes and longer hair but if that was all they had to go on then they weren't really working with a small suspect pool. Something else that could give them clues were the items left behind that came with each of the letters. Sasuke still wanted to read the one Naruto got that initially gave him the threat against his life but if it was stored for evidence then the only thing he could do was wait until it was released because the officers no longer needed it. The latest letter, thank God Naruto hadn't read it himself, seemed to be the most insane to date but there was no way of knowing just how far this guy would go or how long he would wait for Naruto's answer. The only people who would know would be the two teachers of Naruto's he had met yesterday. The two probably wouldn't be available until later in the day since some of the programs in the school had weekend activities that involved community services. All too quickly though Sasuke was pulled from his thoughts as they came up to the station and parked. He didn't think that thirty minutes could go by so fast but time flies when you're having fun or thinking too hard about something. Naruto appeared and knocked on the window and urged the Uchiha family to exit the car and follow him. Naruto was looking around, a bit more paranoid than Sasuke ever wanted him to be and made his way hurriedly to the entrance to the place that only reminded Sasuke of a TV crime drama that his father loved so much. Sarutobi was waiting for them by the door and he gave them all a warm but tired smile.

"I'm glad to see that everybody is safe and sound. Naruto, I'm especially happy that you're doing well. Tsunade, Jiraiya it's been far too long since I've seen the both of you."

"Sorry old man, but you know how busy people can get when life catches up with them. It's just a good thing we both love our jobs. I had hoped that our next encounter would have been under better circumstances – not over our grandson's stalker case and safety issue," Tsunade explained to her mentor. Sometimes she dealt with his detectives as the hospital director and senior surgeon but usually she never saw him if the situation wasn't dire. Here and there she would get a rape case or beating that ended with a death on her table but Ibiki would more often than not be the one sent out.

"As had I, Tsunade believe me. Well I know that you're all anxious to know what we found and Orochimaru is waiting in interrogation room one with his results. And I thank you for sending over Naruto's blood samples so quickly Tsunade."

"She's got the brains to match the breasts sensei, I tell you what!" Jiraiya quipped. Naruto blushed, Sasuke coughed, Minato could only face-palm himself, Kushina was trying not to punch her father-in-law through a wall and the Uchiha family all looked in different directions to try and avoid the subject entirely. Sarutobi shook his head, having been used to his student's behavior and he prepared his ears for the blow Tsunade was sure to deliver her husband. True to everyone's expectations, the busty blonde woman reared her fist back and nearly gave the porn director a new facial structure complete with a hole in the floor. Naruto bent down to see if his grandfather was alright and the man groaned but said that it was worth it every time he said something about her.

"Can we continue please? It's been a long time since we've seen Orochimaru as well Jiraiya, and I want to know if he found anything that will help our grandson get out of this mess."

"You're right, you're right just help me up will you? After thirty-six years of marriage you would think my body would have built up a tolerance to your strength but I think you just keep getting stronger."

"Minato, help your father up. I'll patch him up if I feel like it after Naruto is taken care of."

Minato did as his mother said before the two families finally made their way to the interrogation room where Orochimaru was waiting for them. Upon arrival, Sasuke could only describe the man as almost reptilian. Something about him seemed cold and snake-like that it was almost frightening when he turned around to reveal his golden eyes – ironically very similar to that of a snake. The long black hair made his pasty skin stand out but in a sickly manner unlike Sasuke's own moonlight pale skin that glowed in a certain light, and the man seemed to either have very prominent bags under his eyes or he had some really freaky tattoos going on that were hastily done. When the man smiled, Sasuke could feel his skin crawl and his brain was shouting at his muscles to make his body move so that he could be as far away from this person as possible. Sasuke could feel Naruto cling to his shirt in an attempt to hide from the stranger and Sasuke unconsciously put an arm out to hide Naruto further. Orochimaru uttered a greeting to the families and the sound of his voice was like trying to listen to a vinyl record on a broken player with a lizard's claws digging into the grooves of the track.

"Hello everybody, my name is Orochimaru Hebi and I'm the head of the forensics department here in Konoha. I've been going over some of the finer points of the evidence that was given to me from the letters and the security footage I've received."

"My name is Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze, it's nice to meet you. I'm Naruto's mother."

"Ah yes, I'm so sorry to meet under these conditions but I do have some good news for you regarding your son's case. Now which one is he so that I can take some finger prints and DNA swabs?"

"He's the young blonde man hiding behind the younger raven here. That's Sasuke, the other boy targeted by the stalker," Minato answered for his wife. At Orochimaru's offered hand he shook it but once Orochimaru laid his eyes on Sasuke he found he couldn't look away. Mesmerized by the youth's beauty he stared openly until Fugaku cleared his throat and Itachi walked in front of his little brother to act like a shield.

"Forgive me for staring that was terribly rude. Now I will ask that the both of you take these swabs and rub them against the insides of your cheeks so that I can get a good sample."

Orochimaru handed Itachi two long cotton swabs encased in a plastic tube and the older Uchiha in turn gave them to Sasuke and Naruto. The two boys did as they were instructed and then gave them back to the serpentine-like man. They then submitted their fingerprints and sat down at the table when all was said and done, Sasuke holding Naruto's hand during the majority of the process, to wait for the man to continue with the presentation of evidence he had collected.

"So Orochimaru what did you find? You told me that it was very important," Sarutobi asked.

"Yes sir it is. I've reviewed the security footage from the building manager from the night that the first break-in occurred and I found this man's image twice in the window of time Naruto says that he was away from the apartment. Around four seventeen and four thirty-three the man is seen going into the apartment…and coming out through the door."

On the projection screen there was indeed a man going into the blonde's apartment but his face was hidden and he wore mostly dark clothes. He looked to be around five foot eight inches tall and was thin. He also wasn't using a key to get into the room but seemed to have a card in his hand. Naruto had seen the trick online many times but any time he tried to use a credit card to pick a lock it never worked for him so he dismissed it as a way to break into a place. This man blew that little theory out of the water and gave the blonde the shivers so he held onto Sasuke's hand harder.

"The next footage you'll see is from Naruto's cameras inside of his apartment, and outside of his door in the hallway. The same man seems to be messing with a wall panel before he goes into the room so maybe you could answer what that panel is for young man?"

"It's umm…it controls the air conditioning inside of the apartments on my floor. We all have separate air units but the panel can shut one off or turn one on in each apartment in case anything would go wrong and someone would have to fix it. The panel has the control switches for each of the ten units on my floor."

"Well…that answers another question I had but I'll come back to that in a few minutes."

The images started flashing again and Minato and Kushina gasped in shock and worry as they saw the man stand over them for a few minutes as well before he traveled down the hallway towards Naruto's bedroom. Finally the picture of Sasuke and Naruto asleep on the bed showed up from the camera directed towards Naruto's bed and Sasuke could only squeeze Naruto's hand as he too saw the man stand over him. The figure paced back and forth for a few minutes before he took off the hat that he wore, but kept the mask over the bottom of his face in place. The long hair flowed out and draped his back elegantly, almost like a woman's but the lack of curves was evident in the clothes the man was wearing. On the screen Naruto started to squirm and Sasuke asked himself why he didn't remember any of this. Surely if Naruto moved around at all Sasuke would have at least stirred to try and comfort him like he had done on the many sleepovers they had as children but why was this time so different? The figure stood still and stared at the two of them before he pulled a knife out from the belt on his pants. Mikoto suddenly placed her hands on Sasuke's shoulder and tightened her grip on him as she saw the knife descend towards her baby and abruptly stop. The stalker put the knife away and then leaned over the raven sleeping on the bed and touched Naruto's face. They could hear the man say that Naruto would see him soon and then he got back up, put the note on the bedside table and opened the window to escape. The film ended there and the room was dead silent. Orochimaru and the chief exchanged looks as the two families soaked the images into their brains. After a few minutes, Naruto spoke up.

"Was there anything you found about the guy?"

"Yes there was. The detectives found a few fingerprints on the window latches and we got a match to the partial print I found earlier on. However the print isn't in any criminal database but my lab is running it through government employment agencies or other such areas of employment that require fingerprinting. The substances on the photos the perp sent were consistent with that of lipstick and liquid eyeliner, and I can say that the burn marks on some of the images were made using matches, not a lighter since there was no evidence of the chemical residue they leave on photo paper."

"Did you find anything else about how he knows where I am all the time?"

"I'm afraid I'm not help with that information. There were, however, two sets of prints on your door knob and we got a hit on one of them. His name is Zabuza Momochi and he's a convicted drug dealer who also runs one of the underground crime circuits in Amegakure."

"Yes, I've heard of him. He's known for having regular fights with a 'skin versus steel' rule with slave girls as the prize. He's wanted in two countries and he's known to have ties to a very shady man by the name of Gato," Itachi informed the room. Akatsuki had been following the man for months and one of their people that was working undercover on the case disappeared a few weeks back now that he thought about it. His picture appeared on the screen and two surprised gasps were heard from the table. Naruto and Sasuke had both gone pale and Naruto now had one of his arms clutching onto Sasuke's for dear life.

"Sasuke…isn't he the…?"

"Yeah…he's the guy that moved with that person who followed you everywhere our sophomore year of high school."

"You two know him?" Sarutobi asked.

"Not personally, but the other person he was with in school was the same person I told you had followed Naruto everywhere a couple years ago."

"There could be a connection," Jiraiya said. He too had heard of the seedy underside of Amegakure and the girls he found coming from that place seemed to have all sorts of health problems and troubles adjusting to a clean lifestyle like Jiraiya's porn shoots provided. More often than not he turned the girls away and referred them to the local hospital or therapists offices he was networked with to try and get the girls some help but rarely did they take him up on his kindness.

"Orochimaru what else did you find?" Tsunade then asked.

"Well examining the bloodwork I was sent from Naruto's visit earlier, his stalker is very clever. Even I have to admit that I never would have thought to test for this method of drugging."

"Are you saying my baby was drugged?"

"No Mrs. Namikaze, I'm saying that everyone in his apartment was drugged. That's why I asked Naruto what the panel was used for in the hallway. It was nothing fatal but it was enough to put everyone to sleep for a short amount of time."

"Care to elaborate Orochimaru?"

"I won't bore you with the details sir, but whoever this person is I have to give him credit for his creativity. Based on the bloodwork the hospital sent me, the boy had elevated levels of melatonin and dopamine in his system. I also found trace amounts of piper methysticum in his system."

"What does that mean, Orochimaru?"

"In non-scientific terminology, it refers to 'kava pepper, kava kava, awa, or yangora'. It's a plant that's used in the creation of the national drink of Fiji and it's a good herb to use in cases of mild insomnia if it's used every day. When the plant is burned the gases can be collected using a special method of distillation and the result is the creation of a powerful knock-out gas. The man must have planted it in the air ducts that connected to Naruto's apartment unit and he activated it when he was ready for his second little visit."

"So is that why I didn't wake up when the guy was standing over me?"

"Most likely, yes. With a high amount of the drug in your system it could easily kill someone but the concentration needed in order to do that would require a secluded room with negative pressure such as a decontamination chamber in a hospital."

"Is this herb easy to get ahold of?"

"Not around here. If you want this herb you either have to have a means of harvesting it yourself, or have it imported from the Pacific Islands."

"So what are you telling us?"

"What I'm saying boy, is that the person you're looking for has a background in herbology. Either that or he knows of someone who does and knows how to get his hands on things. You're looking for a very cunning man, master Sarutobi."

"Sasuke I remember that guy's name! The one who followed me everywhere that looked like a girl!"

"So spill it out, who is it?!"

"His name is Haku Momochi! I remember talking to him when he first transferred into our class because he always got teased for looking like a girl but I never really hit it off with him so I forgot about him after a few weeks. He always talked about different kinds of herbs to use in medicines and stuff like that but I never paid it any attention."

"He must have begun to associate you with acceptance and that might have been the reason he thinks you want to be with him," Sasuke said stunned.

"Thank you Orochimaru. Please inform us if anything else comes up or if you find anything else," Sarutobi thanked the man before he dismissed him to get back to the rest of the case.

"I'm always happy to help you sir."

Orochimaru left and Sasuke now had a name. Haku Momochi…the name would be burned into his mind and once he found him, Sasuke didn't know if he could stop himself from unleashing the horrors his mind had dreamed up for the freak. Naruto, glancing at his raven and knew what he was thinking…and didn't want to stop him.

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 **So I made Orochimaru a good guy...sue me. It's my story and I figured I would do something different with him since he's always the first one the finger is pointed at! I'm hoping you'll all appreciate this little twist.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Well now...I have to say I'm a little upset with this story now. Clearly not a lot of you are happy with the longer chapters because the pay-off I get (your reviews) has dramatically dropped per chapter. I do recall asking before I closed the first poll that if I were to do longer chapters I would ask for 10-15 reviews per chapter. Now though, I count myself lucky if I get over 5. This story is twice as long SO FAR than 'With Snow Comes Change' and that story has twice as many reviews...not seeing the love for this story here folks. It is my longest and most time consuming project, as well as highest emotionally invested piece I have done to date. And I'm working on the third 'Thunder' series part now, along with the outlines of a NEW project. I will still keep to my schedule for updates but if I don't start seeing some feedback here, this story is going to be put on the back burner for a while.**

 **Getting to the actual meat of this chapter, I won't lie; I think it's pretty boring. But we do get a little further plot-wise and a lot of SasuNaru fans that have read this from the beginning until now will very much appreciate what's in here. In the next chapter though we get back into the heat of things, but you'll all just have to wait for the next update day! That is if I get some appreciation here...mad thanks to crzyanimemom though since she's been so awesome since the start of this thing! She's been with me since 'WSCC' and I'm hoping I'm not letting her down in this chapter. This one is all yours darling!**

 **DISCLAIMER: As usual I own nothing but the plot, all rights and ownership belong to Masashi Kishimoto and other such persons who claim legal rights to the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden franchise. Credit for the inspiration of this fanfiction belongs to an episode of Criminal Minds and they belong, again, not to me.**

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Itachi now had the information he needed in order to set his plan in motion – he just needed his little brother and Naruto to cooperate with him and maybe agree to some more drastic parts of it all. He was hell-bent to keep the two boys safe and no girly-pansy-boy was going to get in his way if his colleagues had anything to say about it. If all went well then they could finally bring Zabuza down as well, but it would take time and that was the one thing they didn't have at the moment. Itachi looked at his little brother and nearly flinched at the dormant rage that showed on his face. Sasuke was clearly livid but he was also trying not to frighten Naruto any more than he already was. Naruto meanwhile seemed to be lost in his own little world and Itachi couldn't say that he blamed him. Being tormented by an unknown assailant for months and having the boy you love dragged into the hell as well wasn't something easy to deal with no matter who you were. Naruto had demonstrated just how strong he was emotionally and Itachi was proud of him, but now the blonde needed to rest and recuperate. Itachi stepped back and addressed the two families that had yet to say anything since the forensics expert left.

"Minato, Kushina can I ask a favor of the both of you?"

"What is it Itachi?" Kushina asked in a hollow voice. Seeing her only child so close to his end on the screen and also having the stress of a hospital visit catch up to her was more than she could handle. She had seen many things as a marine but nobody told her that motherhood would be more deadly than combat. Minato wrapped his arm around her and nodded for Itachi to ask his question.

"If you would let me, I would like for Naruto to meet with the other members of my cell in Akatsuki. We do have a plan to keep him, and my little brother, safe but I would like to know if you'd both be comfortable with it before we execute anything."

"Do what you need to do, Itachi. Kushina and I trust you."

"What's going to happen to him?" Kushina questioned again. This time her eyes were on Itachi and the dead gray that he met almost scared the young man.

"He's going to be saved, Kushina. I can promise you that, but I have to tell you that the less people know about the plan the better it will be."

"Itachi, do what you feel needs to be done. We'll worry about the boys regardless of what we're informed of but just make sure that this asshole is either put behind bars or strung up in a tree for what he's done. Just give my boy his peace of mind back…that's all I want."

"I'll do whatever I can, Kushina."

"Sasuke, Naruto? We're ready to leave now whenever you are," Minato called to them.

Sasuke spun around and stared at the man in surprise while Naruto continued to zone out. After registering that they were both fine and their families were the only ones in the room with them, the raven gently shook his love to get his attention. Naruto was startled into awareness before he looked at Sasuke again and sighed in relief. Minato and Kushina came up behind him and the older blonde gripped Naruto's shoulders while smiling at him.

"We're ready to go home now, son. You're coming back to the suburbs with us."

"What about my school? I just started everything; I don't want to let Haku-"

"He doesn't deserve the use of his name – he is going to be referred to as stalker-bitch from now on," Sasuke almost growled. Naruto looked at him again in confusion.

"Why 'stalker-bitch'? Shouldn't he be called 'stalker-bastard' instead?"

"No; he looks like a girl and he wants to be sneaky so he's a bitch. I don't care what you call him but it won't be his name."

"Okay then, I don't want to let stalker-bitch take away my education just because he wants to sleep with me."

"Naruto, there is a member of my cell in that school that can get you whatever materials you need for your studies so that you can do them at home. We can also bring in a couple of your teachers privately so that they can give you lessons and assignments. I highly doubt you'll be missing your education with the connections both of our families have," Itachi said as he smirked in triumph. Fugaku and Mikoto also nodded their heads to affirm what their oldest child just said. Naruto smiled slightly as he looked at the Uchiha family and his own to see that they were all serious about their devotion to him and to his situation.

"So will he be staying with us or his parents?"

"I think it would be a good idea for him to stay with us. He's familiar with the Uchiha Manor already and I doubt the stalker-bitch knows the plans for the house like we do. We also have a security system already installed so if anyone does try to breach the grounds we would know immediately."

"Yeah but Mikoto wouldn't he just have to kill the power to shut down the security?"

"Usually I would have to say yes, but our security system runs on not one but two back-up generators, Tsunade."

"Leave it to a technology company to have more than one back-up generator for their compound. Naruto will be fine with the Uchiha's; if anything it will help him sleep a little better," Jiraiya said as he walked up to stand next to his wife. Tsunade glowered at the man before sighing and giving in to what he said.

"I would be worried about your behavior regarding our grandson's safety if I didn't already know that this is how you handle your stress. Well what are we waiting for? Let's get all of you out of here and on the road home before traffic starts up. It's already past one and even on Sundays these roads will have you wishing you were walking."

"Hold on, before we go home we have to go back to Naruto's apartment."

"What for teme?"

"I packed a bag with some clothes of yours in it but I forgot it when I left with Itachi to go to the hospital to see you."

"Plus darling we need to get our car; we came here with your grandfather remember?"

"Yeah…Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha can I ask a favor?"

"Sure sweetheart what is it?"

"I know you don't have any pets at your place but…could I bring my cat to stay with me if I'm going to be staying with you? I'll make sure he's good and won't destroy anything, so can he stay with me?"

"Oh Naruto, of course he can stay with you. And what do you mean we don't have pets? We have Tsuku and Yomi our two cats," the Uchiha matriarch answered him.

"Mother, we got the two of them for me as graduation presents; Naruto hasn't met them yet," Sasuke said with a slight blush on his cheeks. He had forgotten about his cats when the police came to get him at the office therefore he forgot to mention them to Naruto when they were alone yesterday.

"Why didn't you tell me you got cats teme?! Now I have to worry about Kyuubi getting along with them and they won't eat him! Kyuubi is still a baby and I don't know the first thing about your cats!"

"Calm down dobe, I just forgot about them what with everything that's happened since I've seen you! Tsuku and Yomi are both about six months old so they're not much older than Kyuubi – and they'll be fine with him. They're usually so wrapped up in each other that they sort of ignore everyone else except me and Itachi."

"You two can fight about this later, for now we have to get going. I want to make it home before dinner if you two are alright with that," Fugaku spoke. Sasuke blushed slightly and Naruto sheepishly ran a hand through his hair in embarrassment. Mikoto giggled a little and Kushina sighed as she thought about putting her son's kitten in his carrier _again_. Minato smiled and Itachi just shook his head at their antics but said nothing since the two boys were acting normal again.

The two families left the police station with the promise that the officers would continue their investigation and headed for Naruto's apartment. This time Naruto rode with the Uchihas so they didn't all have to go up to the apartment. Minato and Kushina agreed that they would go on ahead to the Uchiha Manor after they had gotten their car when Mikoto made the suggestion. The Uchihas had just pulled up to the complex and parked when Minato and Kushina waved goodbye to them and sped off for home. Sasuke let Naruto out of the car before the rest of the family exited as well and followed the blonde to his apartment. After a few minutes they got to the door that was sealed with police tape and faced a dilemma.

"Do you think we should wait for an officer to come and take the tape down to let us in or should we go ahead and open the door?" Naruto asked.

"I saw an officer downstairs; you, Sasuke and Itachi wait here while Fugaku and I go get him," and with that the two adults left. When they disappeared in the elevator Itachi took out a small case from inside his jacket. Naruto was about to question it but Sasuke just shook his head and told him that it was better not to ask. Itachi quickly picked the lock and opened the door before he turned around and gestured to both of the boys to enter.

"It would have been just as easy to wait for the officer to come up here and take the tape down for us. Now they'll have to catalogue anything that's out of place or missing when we leave and it might give them a false heading."

"Naruto shut up and let's get your cat and suitcase. The sooner we get in and get the stuff, the sooner we can leave and inform the cops of what happened," Sasuke said as he pushed Naruto under the tape and through the door.

"Alright, alright, you don't have to shove. Kyuubi, where are you boy?"

The three boys heard a small meow and both ravens looked around in all directions to try and find the kitten. Naruto though smiled and got down on all fours before he stuck his hand under the couch. More meowing was heard and Naruto brought his hand out as he laid it flat on the floor for the kitten to try and grab. Sure enough a small red fluff ball followed the hand and pounced on it before Naruto snatched him up with his other hand. Startled at first, the kitten squirmed to try and get away but when Naruto cooed at him he stopped looked at his owner.

"Did my boy get scared by all those strange people in the place? Were you hiding from them?" Naruto spoke to the feline as though it were his child. The kitten meowed and licked Naruto's thumb before Naruto hoisted him in the air.

Naruto smiled, slowly stood up, and brought the cat to his face to rub his forehead on the kitten's forehead. Kyuubi placed his paws on Naruto's face to try and push him away but Naruto only laughed and let the kitten snuggle up in the crook of his now bent arm. Itachi and Sasuke both had to smile at the image, though in Itachi's case it was more of a slight smirk, before they wandered further into the apartment to get Naruto's suitcase. Sasuke went back to the blonde's bathroom to gather the toiletries he would need for his stay at his house that he hadn't packed that morning because of the confusion. Traveling to the bedroom to grab his own overnight bag, Sasuke took a final look around the room to see if he had forgotten anything. Then he remembered his idea of taking Naruto clothes shopping and that he needed to run the idea past the blonde. Finishing his task quickly he came back out to the living room to see the amusing sight of his older brother and self-proclaimed boyfriend trying to make the small kitten go inside of the cat carrier and failing. After laughing to himself for a little while, Sasuke walked over to help them. Sasuke took Itachi's place beside the carrier and stood it up on its' end so they could just drop the kitten inside. Naruto wrapped Kyuubi up in a soft fleece blanket before he placed the blanket gently inside of the carrier. Sasuke shut the door and laid the box back down before he picked it up. Kyuubi, not happy with being tricked, started to paw at the side of the carrier and meow his little lungs out. Naruto stuck his hand in front of the door and the kitten immediately calmed down.

"Please tell me he won't be like that once he's in the car," Itachi said.

"Kyuubi falls asleep pretty easily if he's moving around. That's why he doesn't have a bed but a swing."

"He has a swing?" Sasuke asked warily.

"Yeah, like ferrets have. It's also got a heated blanket for the winter."

"Where is this swing and do we have to bring it with us?"

"Mom and dad didn't bring it back with them so I'm guessing it's still at their place. I can get it whenever I see them once we get back to your place."

"Alright then, I also have another question for you about something else," Sasuke said.

"What is it?"

"You need to update your wardrobe in case stalker-bitch knows everything you wear. I thought that since none of your friends have seen you since you left we could call Sakura and do some shopping for you."

"That sounds okay…but what else were you thinking?"

"What should we tell her about why we're talking again?"

"Good point. I can't exactly tell her that I have a stalker and he got you involved too, now can I?"

"Why don't you tell her that our families came to visit you for your birthday last week and you two worked things out from there?"

Naruto and Sasuke stared at Itachi dumbstruck and then at each other.

"That sounds like a good excuse."

"Yeah…like we just kept to our tradition or something like that."

"Thanks Itachi…that helps a lot."

"I've thought about ways to get the two of you speaking again just as much as Sasuke has and I've been waiting to use that one for a week."

"It figures; you always have one thing or another brewing in that head of yours," Sasuke rolled his eyes as he started to glare at his brother. He hadn't wanted Naruto to know that he tried thinking of different ways to contact him for a while. Naruto was nice about it though and didn't laugh at him. Instead he smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"Why don't you give Sakura that call? Itachi, if she's free today do you think it would be okay if we went shopping with her when we get home?"

"Dobe it's already almost two and it's a two hour drive back to the suburbs. She probably has class tomorrow like I do and the mall closes at ten. You know how she likes to make shopping an all-day thing."

"Teme, you forget who she'll be shopping for. You know as well as I do that she's wanted to rearrange my closet since we got to junior high school so I'm sure she'll push everything aside to do it. Plus how do you know her schedule?"

"Like I told you at dinner last night Naruto, Sakura has come over to the mansion plenty of times to visit with Sasuke since you two stopped talking to check up on him and she told him during one of her visits. She's attending a local beauty school so that she can take over her family's company when her mother retires."

"What happened to her going to medical school?"

"She's taking night classes without her parents knowing but next year she'll be taking the entrance exam for the same school your grandmother studied at. By then she told Sasuke that she should have enough for her tuition and an apartment."

"Do her parents not want her to become a nurse?"

"Dobe of course they don't. She's their only heir to the company so if she takes a different career path they can't retire to the Bahama's early like they planned. It was another reason I didn't like being around her. Her parents would always pressure me into dating her so that our companies would merge if we got married."

"I remember that much teme, it's not like a two month silence erased my memory or anything."

"Anyway, we got what we came for so let's go. Mother and father are probably waiting for us in the parking lot," Itachi stated as he checked to make sure they had what they needed before they all left the apartment. Itachi pulled the door shut before they left and make their way to the elevator.

"Hang on a second. Didn't they go to get that police officer?"

"You're a moron; there was no police officer. They just left so that we could get in without anybody coming up and stopping us," Sasuke said.

Naruto huffed and muttered 'I knew that' before Sasuke rolled his eyes and answered with his own 'sure you did' and kissed Naruto's cheek. The elevator ride was short and the three made their way out of the building and towards the parking garage before they loaded the back of the Enclave with the suitcases. Itachi climbed into the driver's side window seat, Naruto crawled into the middle and Sasuke got into the passenger's side window seat with Kyuubi sitting on Naruto's lap. Fugaku was in the passenger seat while Mikoto was patiently waiting to start the car so they could all go home.

"Well boys, did you get everything you needed?" she asked as she twisted her body to look at the three. Her eyes landed on the cat carrier and she smiled.

"Yes, we got everything. And I promise he'll be quiet; he'll probably sleep the whole way home," Naruto promised as he gestured to his kitten. Mikoto smiled at him and turned back to face the steering wheel. She turned the key and started the engine as everyone buckled their seatbelts and she backed up to leave. Once they got on the road, Naruto put his head on Sasuke's shoulder and closed his eyes. Sasuke looked at the boy and smirked but rested his head on top of the blonde hair as well. True to his word, Kyuubi had fallen asleep and the rest of the ride was spent in a comfortable atmosphere. When they stopped to get some coffee and stretch their legs a bit, Itachi turned to check on the boys since they had been quiet for so long, and found that the two had fallen asleep. His little brother looked so at peace with the blonde and it was a drastic improvement from earlier this morning. The chilly October air was beginning to creep into the car through Itachi's open door and Naruto snuggled further into Sasuke's shoulder seeking warmth. Sasuke too adjusted his head to accommodate his love and he snuck an arm behind Naruto to get more comfortable. Itachi snickered and shook his head slightly before his mother came back out to the car.

"Itachi did the boys say what they wanted yet or-"

Itachi cut her off before she got too close to wake the two up. She peered inside the vehicle and awed at the boys before she smiled and handed Itachi his double shot espresso with two sugars and caramel flavor shot. Fugaku came back shortly after Mikoto did and he too looked inside the back of the car to see the boys but he didn't comment or gesture, he just smiled and walked back to the front of the vehicle to get in. He pulled out his cell phone and gave Minato a call to see where they were and how long it would take them to get home from where he told the blonde man. They had already been driving two hours through all the traffic, Tsunade hadn't lied when she said traffic would be bad, which was why Mikoto had driven. From the speaker phone, Minato had said that they were about forty-five minutes away from their home so they were about an hour away from the Uchiha mansion. Fugaku told him to call the mansion and inform their butler that they would be coming and to let them in with no problem to which Minato laughed and said it wouldn't matter either way; that they would get in whether the butler opened the door for them or not, before he asked how Naruto and Sasuke were doing. The leader of the Uchiha clan quickly snapped a picture of the two in the backseat before he sent it to his best friend to which the man laughed a couple minutes later. Fugaku exchanged goodbyes with the man before the family once more set out on the road, only Fugaku drove while he let his wife take a break. Twenty minutes later, Sasuke groaned and started to awaken from his slumber. Groggily, he picked his head up and blinked several times to try and establish his location. Looking around a bit he noticed Naruto on his shoulder, his mother in front of him, his brother beside Naruto and his father in the driver's seat. Itachi smirked at him and let his baby brother continue to try and see where they were. Finally he chuckled and addressed Sasuke.

"Did you have a good nap little brother?"

"Oh is he awake?" Mikoto asked as she turned around.

"Where are we? How long have we been driving?" the younger raven mumbled sleepily.

"We left the city line about half an hour ago and we've been driving for almost two and a half hours. It'll be another hour or so until we get home, son," his father said.

"How long was I sleeping?"

"What was the last thing you remember?"

"Leaving Naruto's apartment and passing the college he goes to."

"You've been out for about two and a half hours then," his brother chuckled. Sasuke glared at him and was about to hit his brother but Naruto sighed and moved again so that he was practically sitting sideways in the seat and leaning on Sasuke.

"Naruto has been asleep for about the same amount of time Sasuke, nothing really interesting has happened and you both needed the nap. Kushina and Minato are about half an hour away from our house as well."

"Mother, how did we take so much longer than they did if you drove most of the way?"

"Traffic was that bad, snow angel. I also think Kushina knew another way out of the city, that little minx. She always was the better navigator on our trips," Mikoto sighed fondly remembering their vacations to various countries together before shaking her head and going back to whatever she was doing to keep herself occupied for the ride.

"Whatever, just wake me up when we get home."

With that Sasuke settled back against Naruto after he moved the cat carrier so that Kyuubi wasn't lying on the side of the box since it had shifted when Naruto moved. Mikoto smiled again and Fugaku grunted his acknowledgement at his sons' actions. Itachi, knowing that he could use this to his blackmailing advantage, took out his phone and started to stealthily take pictures. Finally, after another hour of driving and five different vibration patterns coming from Naruto's and Sasuke's phones respectively, the Uchiha family pulled into their parking garage and tried to wake the boys up. Fugaku noticed Minato's Jaguar at the end of the driveway and immediately went inside the house. Mikoto told Itachi to grab Kyuubi and Naruto and Sasuke's bag as she continued to try and stir Naruto awake. Sasuke was already up and out of the vehicle, stretching his legs since he hadn't moved in a good three hours but Naruto just flopped into Sasuke's seat without so much as a flinch.

"Naruto, honey come on, you have to wake up now. We're home and we're about to start making dinner. Come on sweetheart, you can lie down in your room whenever you get inside," she coaxed. Still Naruto didn't stir.

"Mother, let him sleep – it's been a long day for him and it's barely six. I'll just carry him in."

"Alright; just set him down on the couch for now so that I can clean up the room we keep for him here. But you had better make sure he wakes up for dinner; he hasn't eaten much of anything today and I'm sure he's starving."

"He'll be fine, once he smells it he'll be up and hyper like he always is, you'll see."

The woman only smiled at her son before she joined her other boys in the house. As she walked away, Sasuke got Naruto unbuckled and sat up before he slid his body over towards him. Sasuke slipped one arm behind Naruto's back and pulled so that his upper body was out of the car, so that he wouldn't accidentally hit his head, and placed Naruto's arm over his shoulders. When Naruto's upper body was safely cradled against Sasuke, Sasuke put his other arm under Naruto's knees to lift him up. With Naruto now being held bridal style, Sasuke used his foot to shut the door of the car, cringing as he heard the heavy slam and made his way to the front door. Itachi met him three quarters of the way there and held the door for him. Skipping the front entryway, as grand as it was, he moved towards the living room and found Kushina sitting on the couple's chair petting one of the cats, Tsuku.

"Sasuke dear, I don't know which one this is but he is simply adorable! Oh, Mikoto already placed a pillow on the long couch for Naru, so go ahead and leave him with me."

"Umm, you've got Tsuku right now; Yomi should be somewhere close by. Do you know where they put Kyuubi? I want to make sure that he's close to Naruto when the dobe finally comes around."

"Kyuubi is still in his carrier but they left him in the foyer. How long has Naru been asleep?"

"He's been out apparently since we left his apartment. He and I slept almost the whole way home," Sasuke said as he adjusted Naruto on the couch. He propped Naruto's head up on the pillow and laid him on his side so that he was more comfortable. Sasuke then grabbed the blanket that was always draped across the back of the arm chair to cover Naruto with so that he wouldn't get cold. It may have been October but the weather was still chilling off and it was starting to get darker faster in the evenings now. Positioning the blanket how he knew Naruto liked it, pulled up to his chin and tucked in around his feet and ankles, Sasuke sat down on the floor in front of him. Kushina smiled tenderly at the boys and Tsuku jumped off of her lap to make his way over to his owner's arms. Sasuke scratched behind the black Abyssinian's ears before he picked it up and put it in his lap. The animal quickly lost interest in his owner though as it finally caught sight of the strange new person sleeping in it's favorite spot. Getting up on his hind legs, the cat's front paws were found perched near Naruto's head. Sniffing cautiously around the foreign being Sasuke petted the creature's soft fur again before pulling it back down to his lap.

"Now Tsuku be nice and let Naruto sleep. He'll be staying with us for a while so get used to him but don't sit on him like you sit on me. You're small now but you'll get bigger."

The cat only meowed at him before he settled down but just as he got comfortable, another cat sauntered into the room to investigate the disturbance in the house. The white Abyssinian rubbed its body against Sasuke's back before it too popped it's head up to see what was on the couch. Not having a good enough view though, the cat jumped onto the arm rest and proceeded to walk across Naruto's leg and side until it came to his arm before Sasuke picked it up and set it down on the floor.

"Yomi, I just told your brother now I have to tell you to let Naruto sleep. Either stay with me or go find Itachi," Sasuke scolded the cat. The white feline simply meowed and purred as he twisted around Sasuke's body hoping to be petted. Kushina laughed and tried to beckon the cat over to her but even though it was a social breed, he wasn't about to distance himself from Sasuke until he had the proper loving that he wanted.

"Sasuke they're adorable. Are they littermates?"

"Mother said they were and they're both purebred Abyssinians; I got their papers and everything when she brought them home for me."

"Well it looks like your mother and I had the same ideas for you and Naruto when you both graduated. We got Kyuubi for Naruto as a graduation present slash moving companion. I'll stay here with Naruto do why don't you go ahead up to your room and change into something more comfortable and wash up before dinner? I'll also keep your cats company, so don't worry about them," the woman smiled at him. Although he doubted the cats would stay where he or his brother were not, Sasuke wasn't about to turn down a quick shower and an opportunity to change into sweatpants.

"I'll take you up on that offer then, Mrs. Namikaze. I also have to make a phone call to a friend of mine and Naruto's so if you would please excuse me, I'll leave Naruto here with you."

Sasuke got up, after he set Tsuku down on the floor and Yomi stopped circling him, and bowed slightly to show his respect. He went up to his room, grabbing his cell phone on the way and dialed Sakura's number for the first time. He had never initiated contact with her before, it was always the other way around. He didn't have to wait very long for the girl to answer.

 _"_ _Hello?"_

"Sakura…it's Sasuke."

 _"_ _Hi Sasuke! Oh my god I never thought you would call me! What's up?!"_

"You're too excited, calm down. Anyway I have something I want to ask you."

 _"_ _If you want any information on Naruto, I'm sorry but for the millionth time I can't give anything to you."_

"I don't need any information on him, in fact I need your help with him."

 _"_ _Sasuke, if he doesn't want to talk to you then I can't make him talk to you. Plus he's in the middle of the city; it's not exactly a hop, skip and a jump away you know."_

"Haruno, listen to me; Naruto and I made up. We're fine."

 _"_ _WHAT?! When did this happen?! Who made the first move, what were you guys doing, how mad was he at you, when were you going to tell me?!"_

"Woman, I said calm down! I went with my family and his family to his apartment last week to celebrate his birthday and we talked it out then. Long story short, we sorted out our problems and we're friends again. Not that I ever considered the two of us not being friends before but that is beside the point. Anyway about the favor I have to ask you."

 _"_ _I'm not doing anything for you until I get some real answers! Do you know how bad Naruto suffered our ENTIRE senior year because of what you and Suigetsu did? He was beyond heartbroken Sasuke, I think he was borderline depressed! Sai and I tried everything to make him forget about the whole thing but he just wouldn't let it go! It was bad enough that you got a boyfriend, which itself is not a bad thing, but you practically FLAUNTED it in Naruto's face! Things started to go downhill for the two of you in the middle of the year after Valentine's Day but jeez did you have to rub it in?!"_

Sasuke tuned the girl out as she continued to rant his ear off and he was in no mood for a lecture. He had forgotten that he hadn't told her about the fake relationship with Suigetsu but the girl really didn't have a right to dig in his business. Naruto had better be worth the trouble he's going through right now to do this for him…and Sasuke immediately knew that he was.

"Sakura listen to me; Naruto forgave me for all of that shit, now can you just listen to the favor I have to ask you?!" Sasuke shouted finally losing the grip he had on the tiny string that was his patience.

 _"_ _Okay, okay, what do you want?"_

"Naruto, as you know, already started college and he told me that he might need to update the things in his closet…."

 _"_ _Sasuke Uchiha…don't tell me…."_

"I wanted to know…if you would take him clothes shopping…while I paid for everything to make up for what I did in high school."

Sasuke heard a loud scream followed by a shout of 'I knew it would happen it was only a matter of time' and too many 'oh my god's for him to count. Sasuke had to hold the phone away from his ear until she finally started to tone it down by repeating the word 'okay' a million times.

 _"_ _Oh my god, I'm totally going with you! I can bring Sai and we can invite Kiba and Hinata, and oh! You guys can totally come to my house for pizza like we did for junior prom! Oh dammit the mall closes in three hours, why didn't you ask me about this sooner?! Okay, okay, okay, okay so when do you want to go into the city to meet him? Or is he going to come back home to shop here? Is he back home already?! Sasuke Uchiha answer me!"_

"First, no one but you, me and the dobe are going shopping for him. Second, he's staying at my house for the time being because of certain circumstances with his schooling. Third, we just thought about the idea this morning and I just remembered to call you now. Fourth, I wasn't about to answer you while you were screaming at me through the phone and firing too many questions at me at once."

 _"_ _Wait…what do you mean 'he's staying with you because of certain circumstances'? Is he with you already?"_

"Yes, he's here with me, but he's passed out on the couch. It was…a long car ride."

 _"_ _But you have class in the morning and he has class in the afternoon."_

"I'm only going long enough to take my last couple finals before I go on break for three weeks. Naruto's school had an…incident with a couple teachers so his classes got canceled," the raven lied hoping to trick the rosette and bring her questions to a halt.

 _"_ _Okay…I'll leave it at that for now but when I see you next I want answers. Oh and I've been meaning to text you; is everything okay?"_

"What do you mean? Everything is fine."

 _"_ _Well I looked online and saw that Kiba posted on his wall that he saw you at the hospital today but he didn't know why you were there. I asked him what was going on and he told me that you looked like you just lost your mother or something. When Sai came over he said the same thing but he didn't know why you were there either."_

Sasuke was stuck now. He had almost forgotten that the two boys had seen him earlier that day and that he hadn't given them any excuse as to why he was at the hospital. Coming up with things off the top of his head hadn't really worked for him in the past if the fake relationship with Suigetsu said anything, but he didn't know what to tell the girl to get her to dismiss it.

"Yeah well Itachi had a business meeting in the city yesterday and on his way to the hotel last night somebody rear-ended him. We were all with him last night and I hadn't slept yet when I saw Kiba and Sai."

 _"_ _Sasuke, I've seen you with no sleep and you just look more pissed off than you usually do – not like you're staring death in the face. Plus you have a love-hate relationship with Itachi most of the time; you wouldn't get that upset over a car accident, let alone a fender-bender. What were you really there for?"_

"I told you; I was there for my brother. Look, are you going to take Naruto shopping or not? If not I can always call Ino."

 _"_ _Don't you even dare to think about calling Ino-pig to take Naruto shopping! I called dibs on that job a long time ago and everyone knows it! Hell yes I'm taking him shopping; but you never told me when. I'm free this Thursday after ten, do you think you could have him awake and ready by then? We can meet at the Brew House for coffee and soft pretzels before we head to the mall; does that sound fun?"_

"That sounds fine, I'll tell Naruto when he wakes up. I have to go now; mother has dinner ready and you know how she is if anyone is late. See you Thursday, bye."

Sasuke hung up and heaved a frustrated sigh without letting the girl speak anymore. Yes…Naruto had better be worth this trouble. He was a little disappointed that they couldn't get this job done sooner, but he would have to take what he could get at this point. Hurrying to take his clothes off, Sasuke went to his bathroom, started the shower, set aside a towel and jumped in to give himself a quick soap-down and rinse-off. Fifteen minutes later he was clean, felt refreshed and he was now drying off with a smirk settled on his face. He ran his towel through his hair, drying it as much as possible, before he wrapped it around his waist and ventured to his closet to get his favorite sweatpants and a muscle shirt. Finding said pants, all black with a stripe of red symbols from his favorite band 'Sharingan', and a plain black muscle shirt, he rushed to pull said clothes on before he joined the people downstairs.

His stomach suddenly gave a loud grumble and he put a hand against his belly to try and quiet the noise. It hadn't helped at all that he could smell the delicious scent of sausages cooking in the kitchen. Going back downstairs, he checked on Naruto again in the living room, mildly surprised the scent of food hadn't woken him up yet, and then wandered into the kitchen. There he saw his mother and Naruto's father cooking up peppers and onions to go on top of the sausage sandwiches as French fries were being pulled out of the oven to be salted. Sasuke walked behind his mother and hugged her as she jumped slightly in surprise before laughing at her son.

"Dinner will be ready in a few more minutes, Sasuke. Why don't you be a good boy and go get your brother and your father? They should both be in the study; and please for the love of all that is holy, dry your hair properly! I don't want you to get sick and potentially give a nasty cold to Naruto. The last thing that child needs is to get sick."

"His immune system has always been better than mine; if anything he's the one that would catch the cold and he wouldn't even know it," Sasuke said as he stole a French fry from the metal tray in front of him. Tsuku and Yomi were twisting themselves around his feet meowing desperately and climbing his legs hoping to find food. Sasuke smirked and aimed to snatch another fry before his hand was slapped.

"Sasuke Uchiha, you know better than to give the boys table food. They're already large breeds; I don't need them to be fat on top of it. Now go and get your father and brother," the woman sternly scolded him. Sasuke nodded and kissed her cheek before he finally left the kitchen. Instead of going all the way up to the study, Sasuke simply picked up the phone on the intercom and dialed *07 and waited for his father to pick up on the other end of the line. The man flashed on the screen and so did his brother.

"Yes Sasuke, what is it?"

"Mother says that dinner will be done in a few minutes. She wants the two of you to come down."

"Very well. Is Naruto awake yet?"

"That's what I'm about to go do. His mother is with him but I'm not sure if we let his cat out yet."

"Just make sure Tsuku and Yomi don't torment the poor thing."

"They're already screaming to be fed; in case you don't hear them from up there."

"Your brother and I will be down in a minute. Go wake up Naruto."

Sasuke's father hung up and the screen went dark before Sasuke too put the phone back into its cradle. Having enough of the two cats meowing his ears off, Sasuke went down the hallway and into the 'play room' as his parents liked to call it when he was younger. The space had been converted into a den of sorts when his parents had the renovations done but right now the room served as the 'kitty room' complete with climbing tower, scratch boards, catnip pillows, squeaky toys, feathered ropes and more. Going to the far right corner, Sasuke lifted up the black food dish and the white food dish to take into the cabinet. The cabinet held their bin of food and all of their treats and catnip. Sasuke put half a scoop of dry food and half a can of wet food into each of the bowls, both felines crying desperately, and set them back down on the floor in front of the two. Finally having peace, Sasuke left the room and made it back to the living room.

Kushina was reading a book, one of his mother's best sellers if he knew the cover well enough, and apparently Kyuubi was let out of the cage – only to resume his slumber in the crook of Naruto's arm. Naruto though was stirring in his sleep, but it wasn't a nightmare stir like the night before. It was more along the lines of trying to figure out what the hell is going on type of stir. Sasuke smirked and knelt beside the blonde once more to shake him awake. Kushina quietly informed Sasuke that she was going to help Mikoto set up the dining room table and she would meet him there once Naruto was awake. Sasuke nodded and didn't question her, but he figured that a few minute alone with his love couldn't hurt. After two shakes and pinching Naruto's cheek rather harshly, Naruto woke up with a scowl on his face and unfocused, hazy eyes. Naruto looked at Sasuke and then around the room confused but Sasuke could only think he was cute.

"Where am I? What happened to the car?"

"Trolls took you away in your sleep and brought you back to live under their bridge with them, but I beat them up and brought you home instead. We got back an hour ago, dobe; you've been sleeping since we left the city."

"What time is it?"

"A little after seven. Mother has dinner ready; I'm sure you'll remember you're hungry once your olfactory senses kick back in."

"Teme I can smell it just fine. Sausage sandwiches with French fries and peppers and onions."

"Sometimes I think your nose is better than Chouji's."

"I'm not that good bastard but thanks. Did I sleep on you in the car?"

"Yeah, but I didn't mind. I used you as a pillow too."

"Oh…was I comfy?"

"You were a little lumpy but I blame myself for beating on you so much when we were little."

"Ha, ha very funny. I gave back as much as I received and you know it."

"I still have problems with my left knee thank you very much. Anyway, why don't you put your cat down so he can meet the other two and have something to eat as well?"

"Where is he?"

"He's in your arms, dumbass. Look down."

Naruto looked down and indeed saw his kitten looking up at him.

"Oh. When did you get there Kyuubi?"

"Your mom must have gotten him out and set him there because I was upstairs in the shower before I came to wake you up."

"It doesn't matter. Where are your cats? I want to meet them."

"You met them while you were sleeping if that counts for anything. They're in the play room eating right now. We can take Kyuubi back there after dinner."

"Okay. Can you let me up now? I kind of want food."

"Kiss me and I'll carry you to dinner," Sasuke smirked as he leaned in close. Naruto chuckled a little before he touched Sasuke's lips and punched him away.

"I don't need you to carry me; I just want up."

"So cruel, but at least you kissed me."

"Well I figured you deserve some kind of compensation for having such a _lumpy_ pillow."

"You mean all I get is a peck and a punch? I think I should get more than that, don't you?" Sasuke joked. Naruto though simply sat up and huffed before he stretched a little. Sasuke furrowed his brow at being ignored.

"You know I was being sarcastic, right dobe?" Still Naruto did not answer him.

"Oh come on, for all the things you give me the cold shoulder for, it's calling you lumpy? Babe please-"

Sasuke was cut off quickly as Naruto captured his lips once again in a deeper kiss. Sasuke blinked a couple times before relaxing a bit and closing his eyes at the feeling. Naruto pulled away after a few seconds and Sasuke opened his eyes to see the wide grin on the blonde's face.

"I'll count that as my first victory as your boyfriend. You called me 'babe' first, not the other way around."

Naruto laughed until he realized that Sasuke hadn't responded. He stopped his brief celebration in favor of looking at the raven, who seemed to take on the appearance of someone who had just had an epiphany. Sasuke's mouth was slightly opened; not enough to show teeth but enough to know that he was surprised, and his eyes were wide with shock. Naruto tilted his head and waved his hand in front of Sasuke's face. Slowly, Sasuke brought up his hand and pointed to Naruto, almost robotically, before he slowly started to speak.

"You just…called yourself…my…boyfriend…."

"Yeah…? Wasn't that what you wanted?"

"But…earlier…you said you…didn't know…what we…were."

"Well I…I think that by now…you've kind of proven that…you're serious. I mean you stayed at the hospital with me, and you didn't get mad at me about the stalker; plus you actually apologized for the whole Suigetsu thing. I know you're not really one for apologies but…I'm happy you did. Now though…I don't want to let my stalker control what I decide to do with my life. Now that we know who he is, it'll be easier to apprehend him so…I don't see a need to…put off 'us' anymore. So…? Can we be official?"

Naruto blushed and bit his bottom lip, unable to do anything but wait for Sasuke's answer. For what he thought to be the most embarrassing things he's ever said to another human being, the reward he got was beyond worth it. Sasuke's face split into the most beautiful smile he'd ever made in his life; eyes narrowing and pearly whites showing as a single tear rolled down his cheek in happiness. Sasuke laughed lightly and embraced Naruto in an effort to hide his joy but Naruto let him. Sasuke tightened his arms around Naruto and simply responded back.

"Only you would ask if we could be official when we both know that's what we want. At least you can finally admit it."


	14. Author's Note - go ahead be angry

**I know doesn't want people to upload author's notes as chapters, but I'm not waiting another two weeks to give you clarity.**

 **Clearly you people need some clarification regarding the message I left on the last chapter. You don't know what I'm upset at so stop calling me a bitch and a review whore. If I were a review whore, we would be nowhere near chapter 13 I can tell you that much. Yes, I'm a bitch I can admit that one just fine - but you don't know what I'm talking about when I say I'm upset with this story. I'm NOT PISSED that people AREN'T REVIEWING, I'm pissed that people DON'T SEEM TO CARE about anything in this thing! When I say 'pay-off' I refer to how you people are feeling about the situation of the chapter, how the characters are acting, if you have anything you're confused about, or if there are any suggestions and/or inputs you have about the story! I DON'T CARE ABOUT HOW MANY REVIEWS I GET, I WANT FEEDBACK! I don't want people to worship the ground I'm walking on, I was paid enough attention to as a child since my mother took care of that just fine after my dad died, and I'm not going to kill myself because I want some decent material to work with here! Using the guest review system to leave me hate comments isn't what I wanted when I said to review; I want to know if people still feel anything for this thing like I do and to know if SasuNaru is still going strong! Clearly though, that's way too much for me to ask!**

 **Having said that, regarding putting this story on hold, another thing you people must have missed was the 'I will keep to my update schedule but if I have to put it on the back burner I will' thing. THIS STORY WILL NOT GO UNFINISHED SO KEEP YOUR PITCHFORKS DOWN! It will be updated every other Monday come hell or high water; IT IS NOT BEING ABANDONED! If any of you cook, tell me, when something is put on the back burner, do you leave it so that it can burn? No, you put it there to focus on something else for a little while! Please, by all means; try writing this story for yourselves and see just how difficult it is emotionally to invest in something like having a stalker. Are you going to use your own experiences like I have? I can bet you won't. You haven't lived some of this like I have, so good luck relating to the situation! So if you all want to continue leaving me hate reviews calling me a bitch and saying you hate my attitude using the guest reviews, go ahead :) Unless you put your name in the box, it'll be deleted anyway. I'm not looking for filler reviews just to reach a certain number. If you want to stop reading my story - then it's clearly not good enough for you. Good, great, fantastic! go read something that you actually like; there are plenty of better writers than me on this site! This story will be done, and if you don't want to read it anymore I can't make you! If you want to call me a bitch or any other nasty thing under the sun, I can't stop you; you're only making assholes out of yourselves. Go tell the world how horrible I am for wanting some decent feedback and MAYBE putting a story on hold for a bit! I'll even make you the banner if you want! Ugh, I'm going to write some one-shots now; have fun leaving me more hate reviews to delete.**

 **To those of you who actually GIVE me awesome feedback and questions, I thank you dearly and your suggestions are going to be attempted to be implemented in the story. Having Orochimaru and Haku secretly working together is a good idea, but sadly that one isn't going to be applied - I already made Orochimaru a good guy, sorry :/**


	15. Chapter 14

**Well, as promised (to those of you who thought this was going on hold immediately), the next chapter is here! Oh look, and on it's update day too! So I got a lot of heat from a lot of you about how I had such a horrible attitude about not getting reviews and that I was holding my story hostage until I got what I wanted and I just have to say that whoever said that (since they used the guest review system) needs to chill out. I never said this was going on hold for sure so keep your pants on. Many people also said that they would no longer read this story because of my attitude and as I explained in the previous author's note, I can't stop you from doing so and I also can't make you read any more than you already have. I don't feel the need to justify myself for my decisions and I think if I need to take a break from this story I will. I'm NOT SAYING IT WILL HAPPEN SOON I'm saying if I NEED TO I WILL. So, now that a lot of you hate me and if you're still reading this story, here is the official chapter 14.**

 **Also to new readers, hold your hate reviews until you've read the whole thing! Don't bash how I portray the background of a character until you know how the character is portrayed for the rest of the story!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot! All characters used and ownership of the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden franchise belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I Do Not claim any ownership to the Playstation or Xbox companies or the Assassin's Creed video game that was mentioned in the following chapter. I collect no compensation for writing this story and posting it on this website other than the support of the fans and the favorites/follows/reviews I receive.**

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Naruto smiled in Sasuke's hold and just as Sasuke pulled back enough to try and kiss Naruto, Itachi tapped on the door frame to get their attention. Both boys, startled, turned to glare at the older Uchiha but Itachi merely held his stern face and addressed them.

"Don't make mother angry; come to dinner and afterwards, you're both to go straight to your rooms. Sasuke, father and I have some things to discuss but we would like to see you when we're finished."

"Why are we being sent to our rooms? It's only just after seven!" Naruto exclaimed.

"It's for both of your safety; now get up, wash your hands and come eat. Naruto your parents will be leaving after dessert so think of anything you'll need before they go."

Itachi left after he gave his demands but Sasuke and Naruto only got up from the couch and followed him. They both stopped in the kitchen to wash their hands as Itachi instructed and walked into the dining room. Sasuke glared at nothing as he noticed that there weren't two empty spaces next to each other so that he could sit beside his boyfriend but he wasn't about to complain at this stage. He was happy at least that Naruto was staying with him instead of going to some far-off safe house with no ability to contact anybody he knew, so sitting adjacent to each other was a small sacrifice he was willing to make. Sasuke took the seat next to his brother on the right side of the table and Naruto walked to the seat in between his parents.

Dinner was a quiet affair but the lighthearted chatter Mikoto and Kushina provided was a pleasant way to break it every few minutes and once the boys were done Fugaku excused them to retire to their rooms. Sasuke bowed slightly in respect, Naruto mirroring him, and made his way out of the dining room. Naruto though, quickly pulled him aside once they were away from their parents and practically dragged him to the play room. Sasuke, being confused at first, rolled his eyes and smirked at Naruto's enthusiasm. It was good to see him lively and hyper after everything that had happened to him but again he didn't know the extent that it reached. Forgetting about the reason Naruto was staying with him for now at least, they opened the door to the cat's room and were greeted by the two felines. Naruto bent down and put one hand on the floor for them to inspect. Tsuku began to slink up to the appendage and sniff at it before he rubbed his head against the tan arm. Yomi sprinted up to Sasuke and meowed as he climbed up his leg. Sasuke grunted but picked the cat up anyway and scratched behind its ears.

"So which one is which?" Naruto asked.

"I have Yomi and you have Tsuku. They're Abyssinians; purebreds."

"They're pretty big for being just over six months old. Your mom said you got them for graduation?"

"Yeah."

"So you've only had them for about two and a half months."

"Mother said they were bought and paid for when she went to look at them but we had to wait until they were big enough to be separated from their mother."

"Kyuubi is just over five months old I think. I'm not entirely sure but he's still small."

"He'll grow. And I promise my boys won't eat him while he stays here."

"Do you always keep them in the play room?"

"No, they sleep with either me or Itachi. You might wake up with them on your stomach one night but it might take a couple weeks."

"Kyuubi sleeps with me though."

"Does he sleep on you or just in the same room?"

"If I'm not home he'll sleep in his swing but normally he sleeps beside me at my feet. He's sort of like a dog that way, I guess."

"Maybe we should get a dog."

"Will your parents be happy with that?"

"Father always wanted a German Sheppard; he says they're loyal and they're very protective, but he didn't want to go through the hassle of training a puppy when he had two small children at the time. I'm sure if we brought it up he would agree. Mother might be a problem though."

"Your mom doesn't like dogs?"

"She's always been a cat person; it's where I got it I guess. I don't know why she isn't particular with dogs but it might be the barking."

"It could also be the maintenance they require. You have to walk them, take them outside to do their business, some of them bark more than others, and I'm not sure but I think they're more expensive at the vet's office too. We never had a dog so don't hold me to that last one."

"I get it. They're also a big carrier for fleas and ticks since they always have to go outside. Cats can either stay indoors or go both ways."

"Either way, each animal has its ups and downs. I think a dog would be fun to have but I still love my Kyuubi."

"We'll see what my parents say about guard dogs. Itachi may have already thought of it but it's ultimately them that have the final say."

"Well regardless of what happens I'm sure Itachi knows what he's doing. I just hope that he doesn't get in trouble because of all of this."

"He might."

"Do you know what all he did for us yet?"

"No, but I'm sure I'll get to know later tonight."

"Yeah…come on; we're supposed to be in our rooms now and I don't feel like being yelled at by your brother for not listening to him. He's scary when he wants to be."

"How else could he help run Uchiha Tech.?"

"I don't know; saying 'please' and 'thank you' might help."

"He uses his manners when the situation calls for it but right now I think 'aggressive mode' is what he needs to be in."

"Stalker-bitch isn't going to do anything that would jeopardize his cover is he? So how do we know that Itachi can catch him?"

"It's Itachi."

Naruto looked away from Sasuke and tried to suppress the shiver going down his spine but he didn't manage to hide it very well. The image of Itachi standing over a bloody and beaten Haku with six or seven dark silhouettes behind him was frightening to say the least; knowing that the older man would make it happen was enough to make him hide under a blanket and chant 'there's no such thing, there's no such thing' over and over.

"Come on dobe, let's go upstairs. You can stay in my room for a while and we can play whatever you want on the PS4 or Xbox One."

"Have you heard of the game 'Until Dawn'? I heard that's supposed to be really creepy!"

"I've heard of it but I don't have it. I do have the newest Assassin's Creed though. I got an advanced copy with a few DLC packs," Sasuke bragged as he smirked.

"Well then why are we still here?! I'm coming to you Jacob Frye!"

Sasuke barely had time to blink before a blur of tan and blonde rushed past him and out the door. Poor Tsuku was also looking around the room in a hurry trying to figure out where the wonderful hand that was petting him went. Sasuke shook his head and put Yomi down before trying to catch up to the Namikaze-Uzumaki. Racing out of the room and through the hall he came to the stairs and took three at a time, now happy that he worked out regularly even after high school, and made a sharp turn towards his bedroom. Naruto was almost fifteen feet ahead of him so Sasuke smirked and pushed his muscles into overdrive to pass his boyfriend. Naruto, now seeing that Sasuke was behind him yelped and also tried to reach the room before the raven. The two were tied with five feet to go and the distance was dwindling fast. Four feet, three feet, one and a half more and Sasuke pushed ahead nearly crashing into the door! Naruto couldn't stop in time and he smacked straight into the older boy and fell backwards. Both of them now out of breath and on the floor, Naruto sprawled out and Sasuke kneeling trying to nurse his sore legs and the arm Naruto crashed into tried to get their bearings back. Panting slightly, Sasuke picked his head up and looked at Naruto with a smile on his face.

"I…beat you…admit it."

"No way…. My foot…was three inches…ahead of yours."

"Was it now? As I recall…you ran into me. So that means…that I won."

"I did that on purpose…to make you think you won."

"I'll take that as your surrender. Come on, get up and get in here."

"I'm not moving until you say I won teme!"

"Stop being a baby and get up dobe. You had a head start and I still wiped the floor with you."

"Technically right now the floor is wiping the floor with me, so it counts as your loss!"

"That doesn't even make sense, you idiot."

"I know…but you still lose."

"Just get your ass up; otherwise Jacob Frye will have to wait."

"Okay, okay, okay I'm getting up! I'm up; totally up now!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he watched Naruto try to get back up only to fall over himself at the quick pace he was trying to move at. It might have been wrong of Sasuke to push Naruto to run so hard, seeing as now he was having some slight problems with his breathing. Sasuke stepped towards Naruto and held out his hand to lift him up to his feet which Naruto accepted. Naruto was still sort of panting, even though he could talk normally and Sasuke checked him over to make sure he wasn't hurt.

"What's wrong teme? Why are you looking at me funny?" he wheezed slightly.

"Did your mom bring your inhaler with her after you left the hospital?"

"Yeah she and dad should have it. Why?"

"You're having trouble catching your breath that's why. Go start the system, Xbox, and I'll go get your inhaler."

"Bastard it's not my asthma; I just got the wind knocked out of me a bit when I fell. I just need a few minutes."

"Naruto that could cause an attack; after what happened this morning I'm not taking any chances."

"But the inhaler didn't help me this morning."

"That's because you had a panic attack as well. Just get in my room and wait for me."

"I get the feeling you'll be saying that a lot in the future," Naruto mumbled as he obeyed Sasuke and went inside the room. Sasuke was left with a light pink color dusting his cheeks as images of what he could do to Naruto flooded his brain. Sasuke had to take a few deep breaths and was happy he was wearing his loose sweatpants as soon as he looked down.

"Dammit dobe, you're a fucking tease and you don't even know it," he said to himself.

Heading back downstairs, slowly this time, he followed the sounds of his parents voices to the living room and he was about to walk in but stopped when he picked up on what they were saying.

"Sasuke and Naruto can't stay here; they need to leave for a while."

"Itachi where can they go? You said you don't trust the police and they've never lived on their own away from us for too long," Kushina said.

"Well Naruto has lived on his own but he's had our support to keep him sustained; how are the both of them going to handle being on their own without us?" Minato asked.

"They're smart, innovative and resourceful; they'll be fine for a while. But as long as Naruto has this stalker I don't think they'll be safe in any environment that they're already used to. That includes the Uchiha manor and the Namikaze mansion. As long as that man knows where they can go he can get to them. Don't forget, he also knows where Sasuke works and most likely where he goes to school."

"Itachi…that all might be true but don't you think it'd be safer for them to stay near family right now? Sending them away all by themselves is a risk; especially if there is nobody to keep tabs on them," Mikoto spoke as a twinge of fear crept into her voice.

"Dear I know that this seems dangerous and it may not be the perfect timing but it's something that needs to be done. I'm sure that our son has a plan for Sasuke and Naruto's protection but the less we know the better the boys will be in the long run. Itachi has people in his unit that can stay with the boys, I'm sure, but it's better if we don't know anything. Trust him, Mikoto; that's all we can do," Fugaku explained.

"I don't like it," Kushina huffed in aggravation.

"I understand and I'm sorry, but I assure you that Naruto will be unharmed as long as he's in my care."

"But he won't be in your care! He'll be god knows where with somebody I can't trust while a psycho fan boy tries to kidnap him and kill Sasuke! I think it's better if they stay where they are right now!"

"The longer they're here the more time Haku has to make a plan to kidnap your son; that is if he doesn't already have one. For all we know, Mrs. Namikaze, having them come back here could have just made it easier for him to take Naruto. Please, I'm not asking to keep him away forever, I'm asking to do this for his own good," Itachi implored.

"What about separating the two again? That would make it harder for him to carry out any ill intentions he has against the boys," Minato suggested.

"That wouldn't be smart at this point; Naruto and Sasuke have already made the choice to be together, officially. I overheard them before I brought them to dinner and Naruto doesn't want to put his life on hold just because of this man. Naruto won't want to waste time that he already doesn't have just to avoid one person for the rest of his life. It's not in his character to do so and I have to admire him for that, but I also think it's too bold of him."

"You'll have to explain yourself a little more Itachi. I'm afraid you lost me," Kushina said.

"Naruto is brave by nature but he's also very insecure right now. The last year has been very rough on him and nobody is challenging that but it shook him up badly. Having his best friend and crush suddenly tell him that he liked someone else and date said person only to be told it was all a lie must have done some significant damage to his mind. On top of that there was the stalker. When Naruto stopped talking to my little brother I'm sure he did it to try and piece himself back together but the stalker just gave him something else to worry about entirely, so Naruto couldn't focus on his own self. Having Sasuke back by his side and knowing the truth behind the events now is probably going to help him sort things out inside of himself but if we were to rip Sasuke away from him, the repercussions might be worse than the ultimate goal. Naruto is already blaming himself for getting Sasuke involved and I'm sure he's thinking that none of this would have happened if he had just confessed before Sasuke said anything that day. Now that things are in motion he's putting on a brave face in front of everyone to try and ease our pain, especially Sasuke's. As I said before, Naruto is brave but right now it's too bold for him. He needs time to sort things out and straighten his feelings out before he takes on another separation from Sasuke. I believe he needs to reconnect with my little brother more than he needs us right now. Sending them both away would be killing two birds with one stone."

The room went quiet and Sasuke feared that he would be caught. He figured that everyone was absorbing what Itachi had said and trying to sort out what to do from there. Sasuke too thought about his brother's words. Was Naruto really struggling with his emotions that much? Could he have really done some serious damage to the one he loved all because of a false relationship? Was he himself to blame for this? Scenarios of what could have been played in his head and as beautiful as they were he could see the fire eating away at the edges of them. His dobe's smile was duller, his voice not as loud and happy, and his bright blue eyes; oh god the eyes were so dim it physically hurt him. Sasuke brought a hand to his mouth unconsciously and suppressed the few tears at the edge of his eyes. He was startled by the sound of his mother's voice.

"Alright Itachi. We understand. When do you want to get things started?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry, but they won't be here after Halloween."

"Itachi that's less than two weeks away! How are you going to do everything by Halloween?!" Mikoto yelled.

"The less you know…the better. I can't say it enough mother and I'm sorry. I'm doing this to help them; their safety is what I'm thinking about."

Sasuke couldn't stand to hear any more after that. He softly walked away from the living room and back to his bedroom, all the while thinking of what his big brother said. When he came to the door of his room he could hear the game playing but nothing from Naruto. Sasuke shook his head and walked into his room to see his love on one of the game chairs with a controller in his hand as he turned to face the raven. Naruto gave a wide smile and stood up, crossing the room to stand in front of the Uchiha as he laughed.

"What took you so long? It doesn't really matter since, as you can see, I'm fine but what if I was seriously in need there? Wouldn't you have felt bad that you took so long while I was up here wheezing a lung out! Sasuke? Teme, come on what's wrong? I was joking; look I'm fine…." Naruto slowly tried to reassure the other.

Sasuke stood still as Naruto brought up a hand to his cup his cheek. Sasuke leaned into the touch, closing his eyes and taking in the warmth Naruto's hand radiated before he opened his teary eyes again to look at the blonde. Naruto flinched but didn't move away when he saw the look.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke choked out.

"What? Yeah I'm fine, I told you already. See? No more heavy breathing!" Naruto smiled at him attempting to soothe whatever worry the raven was feeling. Sasuke only shook his head.

"No, you don't get it; are you okay?"

"Apparently I don't get it because you're going to have to be a little more specific."

"Are you okay with everything I've done to you? Did I hurt you when I made you go out with Suigetsu and me? Did I cause you to put on a brave face?"

"Sasuke…what's all this about?"

"I heard Itachi talking downstairs about what he has planned for us."

"Okay but that doesn't explain why you're asking me about your fake relationship with Suigetsu."

"Our moms don't want us to be separated from them so they thought that separating us again was a smart move but Itachi said it wouldn't be helpful and that the repercussions would be worse than the ultimate goal for you."

"Why me? Isn't he supposed to be more worried about you?"

"Naruto just answer me; are you okay?"

"I told you already I'm-"

"Don't you dare lie to me," Sasuke growled. Naruto's eyes widened at the tone and the icy look in the raven's eyes and he sighed in resignation.

"You want the truth?"

"Would I ask if I didn't?"

Naruto sighed again and grabbed Sasuke's hand to lead him over to the bed. Naruto sat down on the edge and patted the seat next to him for Sasuke to sit down. Sasuke hesitantly took it and kept his gaze on the blonde as he waited for him to continue. Naruto shook his head and brought his knees up to his chest before he started to talk again.

"In all honesty, I am okay but the whole thing had me confused for the longest time. At first I thought that maybe you were just trying to get a reaction out of me but I was too shocked to do anything at the time. When school started and I saw you two together I thought 'he was serious. He really doesn't want me' and I tried to act like usual. As the months passed and the more dates I went on with the two of you it got harder for me to be around you. I thought that if I distanced myself from you things would be okay and I could act normal but it didn't work. Then Sakura came up to me one day and told me that she saw the way you looked at me and that it was different from how you were with Suigetsu. She said that you liked me and that she noticed that unless I was around, you and Suigetsu didn't really interact with each other and that I should make my move. I came out to the school the next month when the rest of the gang had thought the same thing. I noticed that you perked up when I did but you were still with him.

After that I didn't really know what to do. I started to question why I loved you and why it was so hard to be around you if I loved you so much. I thought it was selfish of me to want you if you were happy with someone else and that maybe it was time I found someone besides you I could love. After prom, when you still didn't do anything, I figured I should just let it all go and be happy with the time I had with you before then. It hurt too much to think that I would be stuck as the third wheel on all of your dates with Suigetsu for however long it would last so I did something I ultimately never thought I would do. I separated from you. For a while it worked pretty well but I still missed you and wanted to be around you. That's also when the first letter came and I wanted it to be from you so badly, but I knew that you couldn't have sent it. I knew that you would have just come to me rather than send mail but I let myself think it was you as a comfort. I didn't get to think about it for long though, since more letters came and more things happened but towards the end I knew that I couldn't be away from you; even if I was being selfish. Then you came, told me about the whole situation and I tried to wrap my head around it again. I asked myself 'why would I put myself through all that pain if it was all a lie?' and 'was what I did worth it all in the end?' You know the rest from there. We talked it all out in the police station, you proved that you didn't mean to hurt me and you also proved that you love me back. So yes, I'm okay but I was a little lost for a while."

Again Sasuke soaked up the information that was given to him but this time he felt even more guilt. His love was hurt because of him but instead of wallowing in self-pity or guilt, he wanted to spend the rest of his life making it up to Naruto. Sasuke brought an arm up and around Naruto's shoulders and pulled him close to his chest. Naruto burrowed into the warmth and listened to the steady, fast heartbeat of his boyfriend before Sasuke broke the silence.

"I won't be able to apologize enough for making you feel that way, I know that, but I do plan to spend the rest of my life proving how much I love you."

"You mean the rest of our lives, after my stalker is taken care of, right?"

"No, I mean starting now. We aren't going to be separated after what Itachi just explained downstairs. He plans to move us to wherever we're going after Halloween."

"So does that mean we can't go to Gaara's haunted house attraction like I mentioned yesterday?"

"It means that even if we can't I'll make Itachi let us go if I have to. If you want to go to the haunted house, we'll go."

"Teme don't do things for me just because you feel bad about high school. If we can't go in order to keep us safe then we won't go. It will suck though since the Sabaku family usually has the best features known to man!"

"Well they do all have some background in horror films if their dad's connection with Hollywood is anything to go by. Plus you know how excited Temari gets to dress up her brothers and make them scare the shit out of people."

"Yeah, two years ago she had Gaara dressed like an evil circus ringleader and whip everybody that came to see his 'show.' That was terrifying."

"He didn't do anything to you though, which left her ultimately upset."

"She said the rest of the night was worth it since Kankuro got me in the cornfield maze."

"I hate the maze. I always find the Headless Horseman first."

"The Horseman isn't that scary though, the horse itself is worse than the one who plays the horseman."

"What freaks me out is that they have a real sword and they go chopping around in random patterns AT the people."

"You would figure that the Sabaku's wouldn't let them do that for safety purposes."

"They go for authenticity, not safety. If they walk away with a kid screaming bloody murder and maybe actually bleeding, they feel that they've done their job. Otherwise I like Halloween. Life's no fun without a good scare every once in a while."

"As long as the scare isn't meant to hurt anyone yeah," Naruto said dejectedly.

"Hey, this will be over before you know it. Stalker-bitch bit off more than he can chew when he decided to go after you, so why don't we just play Assassin's Creed and forget about it for a while."

"I call dibs on playing first!"

"That's fine by me. I already started my file last week. Set yours up and get it going."

A few hours passed and eventually the two turned the game off and decided to call it a night. After a brief 'discussion' about where the blonde would sleep, it was decided that he would stay in Sasuke's room for the night. Surprisingly when the two ventured downstairs to grab their bags, Naruto's parents were still present and laughing with Mikoto and Fugaku in the living room over what appeared to be cocktails. Naruto could feel the anime-style sweat drop run down the back of his head as Sasuke face-palmed and shook his head. Itachi was nowhere to be found which may have been the reason the drinking had started but now there was nothing anybody could do. Sasuke instructed Naruto to ignore them and just get their things so that they could go to sleep. Sasuke still had school in the morning, it was already past eleven and he still had to speak to his brother about their 'arrangements' concerning Naruto's stalker. Naruto was fortunate, or unfortunate depending on how you viewed things, and didn't have class tomorrow since his teachers had been informed of the situation. Sasuke assumed that Itachi would take care of providing Naruto with what he needed for his lessons in whatever way he had planned, and Naruto didn't seem to complain about it. Once Naruto let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes, Sasuke decided that speaking to his brother could wait until tomorrow since Naruto looked too cute to let sleep alone. Bidding each other goodnight after they had taken care of each of their nightly routines, Sasuke and Naruto drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

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Sasuke awoke to his alarm clock practically screaming at him to throw it through a wall and he nearly did, if not for the weight on his chest. Seeing Naruto stir in his sleep made Sasuke rush to turn the alarm off although it was all for naught as the blonde woke up anyway. Still half asleep himself, Sasuke yawned and coaxed Naruto to go back to sleep while he got up and out of bed. Once the blankets were tucked around his love and Naruto was once again in a dream, Sasuke set to get ready for the morning. Grabbing a pair of dark jeans and a white T-shirt, the raven took a quick shower and hurried to dress. Before he left the room Sasuke also grabbed his backpack, school jacket, and cell phone and kissed Naruto on the forehead. Naruto made a small noise at the touch and moved towards the feeling but Sasuke pulled away after he whispered that he would be back before lunch. Rushing down the stairs, Sasuke came into the kitchen and was startled by the presence of his brother. The older raven poured his younger brother a cup of coffee and handed it to him.

"You didn't come to see me last night," Itachi stated, not appearing to be angry but just stating facts.

"Yeah. Naruto and I were playing video games and it just got too late I guess."

"That's fine. Where is he now?"

"Still sleeping. He's in my room."

"I figured as much."

"I thought you would be gone by now."

"I'm about to head out. Father will be at the office later today since I doubt he'll be able to think with his hangover from last night."

"When did they start drinking?"

"About the time you and Naruto went upstairs like I thought I told you to do, but you instead went to play with the cats. Kyuubi has been crying for Naruto now for almost half an hour."

"How do Tsuku and Yomi like him?" Sasuke asked as he made himself some toast and drank his coffee.

"They're curious. They don't seem bothered by him but they're not eager to play with him just yet."

"That sounds about right."

"How many finals do you have today?"

"One. That is if father talked to the Dean and got my schedule worked out."

"He did."

"Then yeah, I just have the one. It starts at eight fifteen though so I have to get going now."

"Take your time and try and focus on the test; not what's happening here or with Naruto. Kisame is coming over after four to give Naruto his lessons for today and he'll be here until around ten or so."

"I'll be home before lunch."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Sasuke looked back at his brother and raised an eyebrow at the smirk Itachi had on his face. Sasuke tried to think if he left anything behind upstairs or if he forgot to grab anything. Itachi's smirk grew and he tossed the set of keys and Sasuke's wallet at him.

"Do try to drive safely little brother. One of the employees brought it from the parking garage before closing on Saturday," he said smoothly as Sasuke set a glare on his face.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and flicked his brother off before he got in his Lamborghini Huracan and sped off to his school. Forty-five minutes later Sasuke was seated in his classroom and waiting for his professor to arrive so that he could start his test. Jugo sat down next to him and pulled out his study materials before he addressed Sasuke.

"Good morning Sasuke. How was your weekend?" he lightheartedly asked.

"Enlightening," Sasuke replied after a moment of thinking.

"Really? Did something happen?"

"I got to talk to Naruto."

"Is that so? I assume things didn't go well," he said warily.

"No they did but some things happened and I'm not quite sure what to do now."

"What happened?"

"I told him about the relationship I had with Suigetsu and what it really was then he told me why he was avoiding me, and now we don't really know where we stand," he quickly explained. The statement wasn't a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either. Telling people that he now had a boyfriend and was about to go missing because said boyfriend had a stalker that was trying to kill him didn't really sound like something he wanted to go into detail about.

"Did you tell him about your feelings?"

"Yes."

"What did he say about that?"

"He returns them."

"So what's the problem?"

"I don't know if he's mad at me or not for faking a relationship just to make him jealous and confess."

"So are you worried that he won't want to go out with you because he's angry with you or are you upset with yourself for making him angry at you and not want to go out with you?"

"A little of both I think."

"I'm sure it'll all be okay. Now that you're talking to each other again I'm sure he'll forgive you eventually," the other man smiled at him. Sasuke smirked in return and couldn't help but feel comforted by the words his friend spoke, even if he was already in a relationship with the dobe.

Soon the professor walked in, had his assistant pass out the tests and silence consumed the room. The only things that could be heard were the pencils that were filling in questions in the booklets and the frustrated, quiet groans of the students who hadn't studied. Already being in the corporate world, and growing up in it, Sasuke had no trouble answering his test questions but he still made sure to spend enough time going over each of the answers one-by-one before he confidently moved on to the next one. Eventually the two hours that were allotted for the test passed and Sasuke handed in his booklet with pride as he left the room. His professor though stopped him before he reached the door, telling him to see the dean before he left. Sasuke bowed his head in thanks and proceeded to make his way to the man's office. Coming up to the room, the raven knocked twice on the door and heard a small 'come in' as he entered. The man behind the desk had orange hair, fair skin and broad shoulders. Dressed in a crisp white button-down shirt and a blue silk tie, he was the image of authority and respect but he was a kind man and when needed downright terrifying. Yahiko Pein was nobody to mess with on a bad day but Sasuke didn't feel the need to run from this man just yet. He cleared his throat and the man looked up to reveal his strange purple eyes with black rings around the irises.

"You wanted to see me, Dean Pein?"

"Ah yes Sasuke Uchiha, please have a seat," the orange haired man gestured to the chair in front of his desk. Sasuke sat down and asked what he wanted to speak with him about.

"Your father and your brother have informed me of the situation you find yourself in. How are you?"

"I'm alright sir, but the one I'm worried about isn't me."

"Yes, you're worried about Naruto Uzumaki right? Itachi has told me about him and that he's the original target is that correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Now you are aware of the Red Cloud organization that is run secretly by this college, is that right?"

"Yes sir."

"And you're aware that we're helping you and Mr. Uzumaki with the situation?"

"Yes sir I am, but may I ask what it is you wanted to speak with me about?"

"I wanted to know if there were any requests you had of us before we put our plan to extract you and Mr. Uzumaki from the situation. Things such as where to avoid sending you or things we should know about this 'Haku Momochi' character."

"Well sir, all I know about him is that I thought he was a girl until yesterday afternoon and that he went to high school with Naruto and me until our junior year was over. He followed Naruto home most of the time without Naruto knowing and he would take things from his locker from time to time. I didn't have any classes with him or the Zabuza guy that was with him but I do know that he was made fun of a lot for his appearance. I don't know about his home life or his family situation but I do know that he left with Zabuza Momochi before the year let out."

"We have some information on Zabuza from the underground human trafficking ring he runs but there was nothing about a 'Haku' in any of the reports my agents sent me. One of our men went missing not too long ago in that region and we think Zabuza is behind it."

"I think Naruto would be able to give you more information on his stalker than I would, but I don't recommend doing it right now."

"Why is that?"

"He might think he's alright but I know he's uncomfortable talking about what's happened to him over the past couple months."

"Delicacy sometimes has to take a backseat to proficiency Sasuke, please understand that. We don't want to make Mr. Uzumaki uncomfortable but if it means making sure he's taken care of we will."

"With all due respect then sir, if my brother could be the one to handle that aspect of the assignment, I would be grateful."

"Itachi Uchiha is one of my best and brightest agents so I have no problem with that. He usually doesn't handle the interrogations of his assignments; he's normally conducting other tasks. But since he's the lead on this one I have no problem with what he does. I know this is personal for him and I understand his dedication."

"If I may ask a question sir?"

"Go ahead."

"What is it you plan to do to make sure my blonde stays safe as well as sane?"

Pein took a moment to study the features of the young man in front of him – taking in the serious eyes and the stone face before he sighed and placed his arms on the desk.

"We plan to make you both disappear. How sane the boy will be though, will be up to you."

"Am I not going to be informed of where we're to be sent?"

"Do you have somewhere specific you want to go?"

"…Naruto likes warm weather. He likes to be out in the sun a lot and he gardens. As long as you don't put him on an iceberg I'll have no problems with where we go."

"I'll take that into consideration then."

"And not Greece; he hates the food there. No major cities either; he's too easy to spot."

"When I say 'disappear' I do mean that 'Sasuke Uchiha' and 'Naruto Uzumaki' will no longer exist. It will be for a short time but you two won't be yourselves while you're away. It will be something like an international witness protection program."

"So we do have to change everything like I thought we would."

"Yes, but don't make it permanent. We do intend to get you boys back safely for the trial."

"What if you guys aren't good enough to make sure my Naruto stays safe? What if something happens to him while we're away?" Sasuke asked nearly tearing up. Pein regarded him once more.

"We would rather die than let a client get hurt on our watch. Please trust me when I say that. I have high hopes that you'll be joining our organization once you've finished your time with this school."

"If you get Naruto out of this and catch the bastard that's doing this…consider me a member."

Pein smiled at him and stood up to dismiss him. Sasuke bowed in respect and gathered his things to leave the building. Finally able to take a sigh of relief, it was short lived once he made it outside. Suigetsu was standing by the stairs facing the doors and appeared to be waiting for him to come out. Sasuke took a breath and calmly walked out the doors and down the stairs to greet the man and the other rushed to meet him halfway.

"Finally man I thought you would never get out of there!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see how things were going for you."

"They're fine for right now."

"Come on man I drive four hours to see you and all I get is a 'fine'? Come on, you didn't answer any of my texts or calls the past couple of days; I was worried about you!"

"I got them. I just didn't have time to answer them."

"Well I can let it slide if you tell me how things have been for you!"

"I said they're fine."

"Yeah, that's not good enough. What were you doing this weekend that you couldn't answer me?"

"You're acting like the jealous boyfriend that I should no longer have."

"And you're playing the secretive boyfriend that I didn't want to have. Seriously, even though she was cool with it, I swear Tayuya was pissed that I did the whole thing with you."

"I told her why I did it; if she wants to be pissed she can be pissed at me. You know I don't care either way."

"I am sorry that it backfired on you though. I thought it was a good idea at the beginning."

"It was in theory but it doesn't matter now."

"Is Naruto still not talking to you?"

"No."

"Oh I see – wait what?!" the white haired boy shouted, inadvertently drawing attention to the pair. Sasuke began walking away but Suigetsu followed after getting over the initial shock and asking Sasuke to repeat himself.

"We're talking."

"When did that happen?!"

"Saturday."

"Well don't leave me hanging, come on tell me! We can go get a burger and fries and you can tell me all about it!"

"No."

"Dude, loosen up; it's just a burger, you have time to feed yourself before going to your next class."

"Suigetsu that's not the point; I have to get home now. You don't understand the situation but I can't be out very long."

"Then let me go home with you. I'm sure your folks won't mind!"

"Ugh, no means no, Hozuki. Please, I'll tell you everything when I can but right now really isn't a good time."

"If you're not going to invite me over then I'll just follow you home. I do know where you live," the boy shot back at the raven. Sasuke groaned in annoyance but felt he had no choice. Suigetsu was stubborn, almost as much as Naruto and he knew that there was no point arguing right now. All Sasuke wanted to do was get back home to Naruto and make sure nothing else happened.

"Fine, we'll go for food but if we're not done by noon I'm kicking your ass up and down the science hall here, am I clear?"

"Crystal! What are we waiting for?"

The two walked down the street to a fast food place and made their orders. Once they had their food and were sat down, Suigetsu started up their conversation.

"So what the hell happened that you and Naruto are talking again?"

"Nothing much; I called him and he answered that time. I explained everything about what happened between you and me, he got mad at first then understood, he told me why he wasn't talking to me and now things are back to normal between us."

"You could have just told me that in the first place. So how mad was he?"

"Not furious but he's not just going to brush it off. It apparently messed him up pretty bad emotionally."

"Oh man…if I had known I wouldn't-"

"There was no way to know; I had to pry it out of him. At least he told me he was willing to forgive me for it."

"Is that why he wasn't talking to you? Because he was messed up?"

"You make it sound like he went crazy or something," Sasuke ground out as he glared at the other.

"Well I don't mean to sound that way but how else would he be messed up?"

"Naruto has always been pretty strong but I guess when it comes to certain things he's easily shaken up. Knowing that I faked a relationship to make him jealous when he genuinely thought I liked you confused him."

"Did you tell him you liked him?"

"I told him I loved him."

"And? What the hell did he do?!"

"He loves me back but we don't really know where to take it from there."

"Uh, duh! Boyfriend! Ask that shit out; take him before someone else does!"

"He's not a possession; and he has a right to figure out where he wants to go with this," he said angrily. Even though this was just a story to allude Suigetsu from the truth Sasuke felt that he still needed to defend his love.

"Dude you don't get it; my cousin has been asking all sorts of things about him since he's come back to town."

"Really? What kinds of things is your cousin asking?"

"You know, things like 'how's Naruto been, do you ever get to talk to him, is he dating anyone,' those kinds of things."

Sasuke felt his stomach sink in suspicion. Sasuke had wondered how the stalker was getting information about Naruto and him but he didn't want to think that everything had been right under his nose.

"Suigetsu…who is your cousin?"

"You might know him; he went to school with you and Naruto your junior year. His name is Haku."

Sasuke felt acid rise in his throat as he suppressed the urge to scream. No wonder the freak knew so much about the both of them; he had a direct link to all of it.


	16. Chapter 15

**I am so sorry to upload this so late in the day. It's around 8 pm here and I normally post my updates in the morning but my internet was down, my laptop had a hissy fit and I thought I lost this file and ugh. I had to spend half of my day trying to remember all of this stuff and then I found it again on my external hard-drive...so I did some cutting and editing and this is what came out of it. I will probably post an 'extra' chapter next week to cover what happened in the shopping trip with Sakura since I decided to cut it because it was pretty long and it had no real relevance to the plot. It'll be up to you guys if you want it or not but you have to tell my before October 19th.**

 **This chapter had me going on a bit of a roller coaster while I was rewriting it emotionally. Somebody sent me a detailed PM giving me helpful criticism on my writing style so I hope that I've executed just what it was she wanted me to change about it without taking anything away from the actual story. I normally don't worry about how a story looks to the eye since I've read many with the same style I write with, but I digress; it's for you guys not me. If I'm too stressed out about it though, I will switch back to my old ways until this story is done. Let me know what all of you think like you always do! And those of you using the guest review system, either leave your name with whatever you have to say or stop abusing the system just to tell me 'Kill yourself, fag' and ruining somebody's good vibe. Fanfictions aren't meant to hurt anybody, they're made to share our love for whatever we're writing about. If you can't share the love, then get the hell away from us because we don't want you near our fandom!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot. Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto and all of the Naruto characters mentioned in this story. DC Comics owns Batman so the costumes mentioned don't belong to me either. Quinn Rose owns the character Blood Dupre and I suggest you check out the multiple versions of her Alice in Wonderlands (Country of Heart, Clover, Diamond ect.). Assassin's Creed belongs to Ubisoft and I collect no sort of compensation for writing this in any way shape or form.**

Sasuke shook his head to try and clear it a bit but the dread was rising inside of him. Suigetsu was looking at him strangely now but Sasuke then had a thought. Suigetsu had mentioned that he 'might' know him, not that he 'should' know him. If the Uchiha played his cards right then he might be able to get a picture of the stalker-bitch so that he could know what features to look for to keep Naruto safe in crowds. It had been a while since he had seen the feminine boy and he could have made changes to his appearance since then. Schooling is face to be as emotionless as possible, he addressed his friend.

"Haku? The name doesn't really ring any bells with me. I don't think I remember him but if you have a picture or something, that might bring something back."

"Sorry man, he's sort of camera shy. But he has long brown hair, dark brown eyes, sort of pale skin, and he's pretty short for a guy. Sometimes I would catch him wearing girl's clothes and then he would follow this real meaty-looking guy."

"Meaty-looking?"

"Yeah, the guy was really creepy but he could punch a hole through a car door he was so strong! Thankfully I don't think Haku associates with him anymore."

"So where is Haku now?" Sasuke had to pry as much information out of Suigetsu about the freak in question as possible since he had no idea what would be useful to try and catch him.

"He told me last night that he had to go to the city today, which is why I'm here. This is the first time I've been free of him since he got here!" Suigetsu yelled in joy and relief.

"Did he say what he was doing there?"

"I didn't bother asking. I figured it had something to do with a friend of his going into the hospital last night but he never really tells me anything."

"Hospital…?"

"Yeah he left a note telling me not to worry about his dinner tonight since he needed to see somebody in the hospital. I don't care, it just means that Tayuya and I can have some peace tonight!"

"Suigetsu I need to ask you a very important question."

"Sure thing!"

"How much did you tell your cousin about Naruto?"

"Just what you told me; that he wasn't talking to you and that he was going to a different college than you. Why does it matter, it was harmless stuff."

"Did he ask where Naruto lived?"

"Isn't he still living at home like you are? You didn't really tell me all that much after he stopped contacting you."

"Do you have any idea why Haku would ask you about Naruto when he hasn't seen him since he left our high school?"

"Haku told me that he and Naruto were really good friends. I didn't really think about it too much."

"How much have you told him about my relationship with Naruto?"

"I told him about what happened our senior year and he got really pissed off about it but that was about it. He did ask me what you were to him though and I told him you liked him. He didn't like that much either now that I think about it but what does it matter; he's harmless! And besides that I have as much contact with Naruto as you did before this past weekend. I only know what you told me."

Sasuke 'hn-ed' before he let out a slight sigh of relief. He hadn't spilled a lot to Suigetsu about Naruto over the last two months but it was still clear that information was being leaked somewhere. The raven tried to think about everyone he vented to but it was a very short list, and half the people on it were already involved in protecting the blonde. He had no more time to think about it though since he could hear the bell ringing signaling that classes were starting again. Pulling out his phone to look at the time he was shocked to see that it was past twelve-thirty! Growling to himself and cursing, Sasuke gathered his things quickly and rushed to leave the place. Suigetsu sputtered and yelled to ask him where he was going. Sasuke didn't stop however and he made a bee-line for his car. Suigetsu suddenly appeared to the right of him, out of breath but still trying to match the pace the young Uchiha was setting.

"What the hell got into you? You just suddenly…shoved off like that and I thought…something happened," the white-haired boy panted.

"I have to go."

"Well I assumed that, but why?"

"It's past twelve-thirty already and I told you I had to get back home by noon!" Sasuke yelled now genuinely angry at the idiot in his company. Logically none of this was Suigetsu's fault but he was a convenient target right now and Sasuke wanted nothing more than to go on a war path.

"What does it matter what time it is? We haven't seen each other in months and I was concerned about you!" the other yelled now jumping in front of the raven.

"I'm only going to ask once; get out of my way."

"Will you tell me what's going on?"

"I'm not pissing around; move."

"Nope. You have to get through me and I'm not that easy to take down," Suigetsu coaxed, adding a light playful tone to his words that fueled Sasuke's frustration.

"Move it or I'll break your nose."

"You wouldn't dare, I'm like your closest friend. You wouldn't hurt me even if you did want to!"

"I don't have time for this." Sasuke's tone took a dark turn and fire burned in his eyes in rage at the other. Suigetsu flinched slightly but dumbly provoked Sasuke further.

"I'm not getting out of your way until you tell me why you jumped up like that!" the other stood firm.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Sasuke pulled his arm back, balled his hand into a fist and launched it hard at the other boy's face. Suigetsu fell on his ass and clutched his nose and chin as he rolled back and forth to let Sasuke see his pain. The Uchiha noticed the spots of red dripping down onto the pavement but he couldn't be bothered with that right now. Stepping past the injured boy he continued towards his car. Once inside of it he revved up the engine and peeled away from the campus as fast as he could. He had promised Naruto that he would return by noon and now he was running late, but he may be forgiven with the information he now held. Naruto would be angry, that was obvious, but at least he could be safer now. Then again, for Naruto's sanity it might be better to keep what he had to himself until he told his brother.

It was an agonizing forty minutes he spent in midday traffic but now Sasuke was back home and in a mad rush to reach his bedroom. In his haste be nearly bowled over his mother. Mikoto screamed in surprise before she yelled at her son to stop. Sasuke yelled a 'sorry' down the stairs towards her and sprinted towards his bedroom. Finally coming to it he barreled through the door and was shocked at what he found. Naruto wasn't there. The bed was empty and neatly made, the gaming equipment was put away as orderly as it had been the entire week, no clothes were strewn about on the floor and the doors to his closet and bathroom were all opened. Sasuke stepping into his precious space and looked everywhere to try and find his love but came up with nothing. Mikoto appeared in his doorway and tried to ask what he was doing.

"Mother, where is he?! Where is Naruto?!"

"Calm down Sasuke, he's out in the gardens. I needed some fruit off of some of the trees and he offered to help me. I was coming back in with some of the apples when you nearly knocked me over," the woman explained gently.

"Is he still out there?! We have to bring him inside; he could be taken away any time!"

"Sasuke Uchiha slow down; take a breath before you have a panic attack."

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief at the woman and tried to make his way past her to try and get to his blonde. However Mikoto grabbed his right shoulder and squeezed; her thumb jamming into his joint and crippling him to a yowling mess on the floor. He had forgotten that his mother took some advanced anatomy as an extra course in college and that she could render anyone immobile with just her pressure. She looked down at him on the floor and tried to stay calm herself.

"Sasuke…I'm not going to say it again. Calm down; Naruto is safe here and nothing will happen to him under our watch. He's not alone either. A couple of the servants are with him right now to keep an eye on him. Now do as I say and take a deep breath," she calmly threatened. Although the most caring person in the family, she was the Uchiha rose that had the most thorns. Her Uchiha glare was more menacing and life-threatening than his fathers; and she wasn't even an Uchiha by birth. Sasuke swallowed painfully, terrified under his mother's rarely seen glare, and did as she asked. The woman smiled again and let his shoulder go.

"There now, isn't that better? Now before you go all psycho on me again, tell me why you came home in a panic."

"I'm late getting home; I told Naruto I'd be back before lunch and it's already past one-thirty."

"He's fine Sasuke he's been helping me around the house since ten this morning. I've kept a close eye on him and he's been acting like he's on vacation. What time did the two of you go to bed last night anyway? When I went to check on him in his room I was terrified that he wasn't there!"

"He slept with me last night. We were playing videogames until around eleven and he argued that he didn't want to leave."

"I hope for the laundry's sake that nothing raunchy happened." Mikoto's voice droned in a deadpan but her eyes were sparkling with mirth.

"Mother!" Sasuke exclaimed with a bright blush on his face.

"You two are entitled to some adult time; it's natural for boys your age to explore sexually. It only means you're healthy and you're expressing your feelings," she defended.

"It's none of your business, pardon my rudeness! We've only been going out for a day! Too much is going on to even think about sex!"

"Sasuke, I'm your mother and I know a few things. You may think I don't, but I am fully aware of what kinds of dreams boys have when they think about the ones they want to be with. Remember who it is that has to wash those sheets."

"Mother I really don't feel comfortable talking to you about this right now," Sasuke said hurriedly.

"Your father and I were at this stage too at one point-"

"Okay, okay, I've heard enough! I don't want to know! Please change the topic!"

"Mikoto? Mikoto where are you? I have the bushels of cranberries and pears you asked me to gather!" Naruto yelled from downstairs.

"I'm with Sasuke up in his room dear! We'll be down in a minute so why don't you put them in the kitchen for me so we can wash them later?" Mikoto yelled back as she turned away from Sasuke to look down the stairs.

"Okay!" the blonde chirped loudly and Sasuke let a smile grace his features. Leave it to his mother to put Naruto right in his comfort zone.

"Don't think I don't know you're smiling mister."

"You're turned away from me, how can you tell?"

"The mood changed up here. I can tell you're happy now that you've heard Naru-chan."

Mikoto turned back to her son and smiled at him brightly before she grabbed his hand and dragged him back downstairs to the kitchen. She pulled out a barstool for him to sit on and she put her apron on so that she could begin washing the cranberries Naruto gathered for her.

"We're picking the sweet potatoes, carrots and celery next before we go pumpkin picking. Why don't you have something to eat before we all get started?"

Sasuke was about to answer her but Naruto appeared carrying a large crate of pears. The blonde smiled at him brightly and set the crate down on the kitchen island before he sat down next to his boyfriend. Sasuke too smiled and put one of his hands on Naruto's head to sort of pet him. Naruto huffed and tried to shake the hand off but Sasuke only chuckled and continued to mess with the other.

"Sasuke? Food?" Mikoto reminded him.

"Sorry mother but I already had something before I got home. I got a surprise visitor at school."

"Visitor?" Naruto asked quickly, clearly startled by the news.

"Who was it dear?" Mikoto asked warily.

"Suigetsu, but that's not important right now. Why don't we get back to picking the vegetables?"

Naruto and Mikoto weren't convinced by Sasuke's response but if he didn't want to talk about it then there was no talking about it. Sasuke however, seeing Naruto in such a good mood after his weekend from hell, didn't want to spoil the fun his blonde was having with the stalker-related news. He also wasn't brave enough to tell Naruto that it was because of him that Suigetsu knew everything that he knew. Granted it wasn't his fault that the fishy boy told his damn cousin everything about it but Sasuke felt bad all the same. Other things came to mind though about where Haku was getting his information. Clearly it wasn't all from Suigetsu since he knew nothing about Naruto moving to the middle of the city. And he also had no clue when the blonde started his classes for that matter. Sasuke himself only found out about it last week, and he hadn't spoken to the white-haired boy for almost three weeks. But now he had more to go on regarding getting information about his love's stalker.

Naruto put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder to pull him out of the dead stare he had been in and Sasuke snapped back quickly. Naruto raised an eyebrow in suspicion but refrained from asking Sasuke about his behavior for the time being. He knew that he would be able to get the raven to talk later in the day when they were alone. When Naruto thought about it though he figured that it would have to wait until bedtime because he got a text from Itachi about someone coming from Konoha Academy to give him his lessons for the day. He wasn't about to complain, hell he was thankful that he wasn't going to fall behind on his schoolwork because of the older Uchiha, but at the same time he knew that he had to take time to recover a bit emotionally.

"Let's go Sasuke-teme we have six dozen vegetables to pull!"

"Six dozen? Are we feeding the military or are we harvesting food to survive on a desert island for months?" Sasuke asked astonished at the quantity of food they were supposed to gather.

"Don't be a baby, six dozen is nothing! You clearly haven't gone to an apple picking contest before."

"Contests are different, if we're just getting food for tonight why are we getting so much?"

"Everything needs harvested before the winter frost sets in and Naruto offered to help me do it today since he had nothing to do while you were in class. After the vegetables are pulled and done I still need to get the peppers, butternut squash and zucchini picked," Mikoto commented after explaining why they were all in the garden today.

"Then we're going pumpkin picking so that we can carve them and make salted roasted pumpkin seeds!" Naruto yelled happily.

"Fine, I get it; let's just go and get this over with," Sasuke said grumpily but secretly happy that he could see Naruto in his element. The blonde always fared better when he was outside being productive. City life never really sat well with Naruto since he couldn't be cooped up too long in a tight space.

Naruto raced towards the back of the house so that they could enter straight into the garden maze. Behind it though was the vegetable field that his mother maintained for Naruto while he was away. Before senior year she didn't have to do much with it since the blonde was always around to tend to it himself. Since the blonde stopped talking to Sasuke though she took a sort of comfort in gardening. The Uchiha Manor had maids and servants and other such helpers but Mikoto never let them help her in the garden since it reminded her of Naruto. Fugaku wanted his family to be responsible and contribute to the house in any way they could so they only ever kept five helpers on staff at any time. Sasuke and his brother both did chores on Sundays as they grew up and they both learned to cook and do laundry as well. Fugaku himself even did the cleaning frequently if his workload from the company wasn't too much of a hassle. The maids and servants were only there to give Mikoto some help when she needed it since she was often left home alone in the gigantic house. They kept her company as well. When Sasuke asked Naruto about having the servants do the harvesting Naruto gave him a puzzled look.

"They have enough to do on their own. They don't need the extra work when I'm here free-loading for who knows how long. Plus I like doing the work, you know that."

"You're not free-loading you know; you're here because we want you here."

"I'm here for my own protection too; I can hear it coming out of your mouth now. I still like working in the garden so it's no problem for me to do this for your mom."

"I know you do and I'm happy you like it so much, but wouldn't it get done faster if they helped a little?"

"Like I want time to fly by. Please teme, you know I get bored easily so the longer I'm kept busy, the better. If you help me with this I'll give you something nice once my lessons are done for today," Naruto said in a sing-song voice.

"Nice how dobe?" Sasuke asked back suggestively with a devious smirk on his face.

"Nice as in 'you'll find out if you help me' nice."

"Alright then let's get to it. Itachi said your tutor will be here around four so we've got around two hours."

Sasuke preened at the smile Naruto gave him as they finally reached what needed to be picked. An hour later, an exhausted Sasuke and equally tired Naruto came back into the house carrying baskets filled with two dozen of each of the vegetables they had pulled. Sasuke's back was killing him and Naruto, although he loved the work, felt the strain in his legs from being bent for so long. Luckily Mikoto had hot drinks ready for them, tea for Sasuke and hot chocolate for Naruto, so that they could take a decent break. Once they had finished their drinks the boys were startled by a knock on the front door. Sasuke put an arm in front of Naruto to prevent him from getting up and went to check who it was. Slowly coming up to the door, Sasuke looked through the peep hole to see Suigetsu with a red and swollen face. He cursed and hastily walked back to Naruto.

"Who was at the door?" Naruto asked.

"Suigetsu, I need you to go hide for now. He doesn't know you're here with me and I don't want him to know about it."

"Why don't you want him knowing I'm here?"

"Please Naru, I'll explain later, just go hide in Itachi's room for now," the raven pleaded. Another series of knocks sounded from the front door and Sasuke could hear the one on the other side calling his name.

"What should I do once my tutor gets here?"

"I'll send him up to Itachi's room for you but I'll try not to let Suigetsu stay long. Hurry up, I can't keep him waiting forever even if I wanted to."

The blonde rushed up the stairs just as Mikoto opened the door. Sasuke heard his mother gasp and ask if the other boy was okay to which Suigetsu briefly recanted the events of earlier that afternoon. Before the matriarch of the family could ask any more questions, Sasuke intervened.

"I've got everything under control mother, thank you for getting the door."

"Sasuke why did you hit Suigetsu? You know that Naruto will be furious at you once he finds out about it," she reprimanded.

Sasuke was about to panic but he saw his mother wink at him. He knew she wasn't dumb enough to give away Naruto's location, even if she didn't quiet comprehend why he was leery about Suigetsu.

"Sorry mother, everything is fine. And Naruto doesn't have to know. When he calls later I just won't mention it."

"Well then Suigetsu, why don't I offer you some tea as a meek apology on behalf of my son?"

"Sure mom, that'd be nice!" the boy slightly yelled. Grumbling a little at the lack of manners and the blatant disrespect the boy had, Mikoto left to prepare the drink for her son's friend. She hadn't been too fond of the boy when he started coming around during the fake relationship. He was rude, crude, lazy and impatient; all traits that she couldn't stand. Naruto was the perfect guest for her; he offered to help with whatever she needed, he would call her 'Mrs. Uchiha' until she would implore he call her 'Mikoto', and he was so active that she found herself unable to keep up with him. When his family lived with hers years ago, she was delighted to see the small sunny boy play with her sons and thus tiring them out. Both Itachi and Sasuke, Sasuke more than anybody, loved playing with the boy and as a result everybody's moods were lighter. Suigetsu however just made the whole family uneasy. He was a clash to the whole Uchiha family dynamic and for the life of her Mikoto couldn't understand why her son befriended him. The past was the past however and she had no choice but to accept her son's choices for what they were.

Sasuke and his unwanted guest ventured into the living room but before he sat down, the Uchiha noticed Suigetsu looking at him funny. He wasn't sure if it was from his almost broken nose or if he was just curious about something. Having enough of the look and wanting him to leave as soon as possible, Sasuke decided to get the whole thing over with.

"What?" he growled.

"Why aren't we going up to your room? Usually we'd just head up there since you're so in love with it."

"I'm changing some things in it," he answered simply.

"Changing your room?! Who are you and what have you done to my friend?! First you try to brush me off at your school, then you freak out at the burger place, THEN you hit me for no reason and now you're not even hiding in your room?!" the other panicked.

"Shut up; I'm getting a headache and I'm sure even my father can hear you."

"Oh shit, he's not here is he?!" Suigetsu looked around in a frenzy trying to determine if the stern, stone-faced Uchiha leader was indeed in the house. Sasuke rubbed his temples and exhaled heavily. He was saved by his mother though, who had appeared with the Hozuki boy's beverage.

"My husband is at work right now young man, so please cease your ridiculous head-turning. Now, might I ask what it is you're doing here?"

"I'm here to ask your kid why he hit me before he left me bleeding in front of his campus!"

"You don't need to ask why; you wouldn't get out of my way and I had to leave. End of story," Sasuke responded.

"Sasuke, please let him explain further. Please continue your side of the story, Mr. Hozuki."

"Well; there we were eating our food and talking about my cousin before Sasuke checked his phone and he started freaking out. He got up really quick and didn't answer me when I asked what was up. So I ran to catch up to him and he just wouldn't slow up! Finally I managed to catch up but all he told me was that it was twelve-thirty and he had to leave, but when I said the time didn't matter he just got more pissed. I got in front of him to try and make him answer me and he just hit me! You nearly broke my nose you ass-wipe!"

"You would have deserved it," Sasuke grumbled after the detailed explanation. Mikoto was quiet but she looked to be pondering something.

"Was Sasuke upset before you went for your…meal?"

"He wasn't happy but no, he was fine. He only flipped after he saw the time."

"I think I can provide an answer for you," a sudden voice spoke from the doorway. The three people in the living room pivoted to see Itachi standing in the door frame.

"Welcome home, Itachi, you're back early. How was work for you?"

"Everything was well mother. Father asked that I tell you not to make dinner for him tonight since he has some things to catch up on. I have a guest coming in a short while, would you send him to my room once he arrives or notify me on the intercom?" he smoothly asked.

"I'll send him up when he gets here. Did your father say what he was working on?" Mikoto leaned her head down and raised her eyebrows only slightly, signaling to her sons that she was referring to the stalker problem. Itachi gave the smallest twitch of his lips as another signal and she relaxed a little.

"No he didn't tell me but I'm sure I'll hear about it at tomorrow's meeting."

"Uh, hello?! Is anybody going to tell me why I was savagely punched?!" Suigetsu screamed. The three Uchihas flinched a bit and their icy stares turned on him.

"I told you to shut up and that you deserved it. You wouldn't get out of my way and I told you before we got food that if you kept me past noon I would hurt you."

"No, you said you would kick my ass up and down the science hall; not punch me in the face!"

"Sasuke had to be home so that he could pack for an upcoming trip we're all taking as a family. Father asked him to be back before noon so that Sasuke could report how his test had gone before our father left for work. Thanks to you though am I to assume my little brother didn't make that appointment?" Itachi smoothly lied. It was a damn good excuse for being made off the top of his head; no wonder he was regarded as a genius.

"That's right I missed it. Now can you leave?" Sasuke growled.

"Don't be rude Sasuke. I didn't raise you to be so impatient." Inside though Mikoto was asking the same thing regarding the young man across from her.

"Yeah Sasuke listen to your mom! I can help you pack for your trip if you want!"

"I am afraid that you cannot, Mr. Hozuki. I'm sure you're aware of how particular my little brother is about how his things are placed and your crude manner of 'packing' will do nothing but aggravate him. I ask that you leave now."

"Itachi's right I'm afraid. We don't really have time to entertain guests at the moment," said Mikoto.

"But wait, Itachi's expecting someone. Why can't I stay?"

"Itachi has a business associate coming to meet him; it has to do with business, not leisure," Sasuke answered.

"Fine then, I'll just go home with the knowledge that I wasted a whole day…for nothing. I really wish that I could have a hot, home-cooked meal before I have to drive the four hours back home," he tried to pull sympathy out of the family. Sadly for him though it wasn't working in the slightest.

"I'm sorry that you came all this way but we are not accountable for your actions. Please see yourself to the door," Itachi said harshly.

Grunting in aggravation, Suigetsu got up from the couch he was on and lazily made his way to the door. Once the family heard the door open and close, they all waited until they heard a car pull out of the driveway. Mikoto and Itachi sighed in relief but Sasuke stayed tense. Itachi looked at his younger brother and was about to ask what was wrong but Sasuke shook his head and moved his mouth for Itachi to read his lips. 'Sweep the room for bugs' he read. Itachi didn't understand why Sasuke would ask him to do that but he performed the task without a fuss. Coming to the couch Itachi saw a tiny black dot on the cream piece of upholstery. Looking at it closer, Itachi was surprised to find the tiny item had small holes in it – a microphone. Putting it on the table for the other two to see, Itachi took one of his shoes off and slammed it on the device. A screech was heard before the older Uchiha child inspected the now broken piece of spy equipment.

"Do you mind explaining why we had to look for this, little brother?"

"It'll have to wait until Kisame gets here."

"Fair enough. I'm assuming you don't want Naruto to know about this?"

"Yes. He's in your room right now. I told him to hide there since I didn't tell Suigetsu that he was here."

"That was smart of you Sasuke, but why are you so defensive right now?" Mikoto asked as she injected herself into the conversation. She was startled that they found the microphone but she was now more confused as to why the boy sitting there had it.

"I'll tell you once Kisame is here, I promise."

Twenty minutes of tension passed before another series of knocking was heard at the door. Mikoto rose to answer it and this time Kisame was on the other side.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Uchiha, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing well thank you for asking. Come in please, Itachi is just in the living room. May I offer you something to drink or eat?" she politely asked.

"Thank you very much; if you have any green tea that would be very pleasant."

"Of course, please make yourself at home."

Kisame came into the living room to see Sasuke snickering and Itachi smirking. Kisame hung up his coat and immediately dropped the 'nice guy' act.

"Shut up, both of you."

"That must have been difficult for you; with you being such a brute and all," Itachi replied with a pleasantly teasing tone. Kisame and Itachi had been partners in the Red Cloud organization for the better part of three years so Kisame let him get away with poking fun at him. Kisame got him back for it just as often so he didn't see the harm in it.

"I mind my manners with my elders and I'm sorry if I don't want to piss your mom off. In my experience moms are more terrifying than dads – and I've worked with your dad before so I know how scary he is."

"That doesn't stop you from looking ridiculous while you act like a gentleman," Sasuke laughed slightly.

"Oh hey runt, still miserable about your blondie?" Kisame taunted.

"And a 'hello' to you Kisame. My 'blondie' is upstairs waiting for you in Itachi's room. If I'm miserable about anything, it's the fact that he's not waiting for me in my room," Sasuke jabbed back.

"I thought we were working down here?" Kisame asked, directing his question to Itachi.

"As far as I believe you still are but it seems Sasuke has something to tell us that he doesn't want Naruto to know."

"Well spit it out runt, I'm not very patient. Is this case related or Naruto's lessons related?"

"Stalker."

"Juicy, what can you tell us?" the almost blue-skinned man asked.

"Wait until you have a drink in front of you; I don't want to have to repeat this twenty times because mother and father aren't here. I'll tell father when he gets home but we can wait for mother."

"Then wait no longer, I'm here. Here's your tea Kisame, I hope you enjoy it," Mikoto said as she smiled warmly at him and took her seat next to her youngest child. Itachi remained standing in a corner and Kisame sat down in the chair across from Sasuke and his mother. Somewhere in the mix, Tsuku, Yomi and Kyuubi all came into the room to claim a lap, interrupting the quickly intensifying atmosphere. Kyuubi sat by himself next to Sasuke's feet, Mikoto held Yomi and Itachi crouched by Tsuku.

"Well Sasuke? We're waiting to hear what you have to say," Kisame urged.

"I didn't punch Suigetsu just because he was in my way earlier today. I took my anger out on him for a reason he doesn't know…."

"What are you talking about? You haven't lost your temper over anything since those kids broke Naruto's arm in elementary school," Mikoto commented.

"I know…but I meant it when I said he deserved it."

"So tell us why he deserved it," said Itachi.

"He's been unconsciously feeding stalker-bitch information about me and Naruto."

The room went silent. Confusion, anger, and dread could be felt in the air but there was also a sense of curiosity. Sasuke quickly answered the unanswered questions of 'why' and 'how'.

"Haku is Suigetsu's cousin. He told me that Haku has been asking questions about Naruto ever since he got back to town."

"…How long has he been here?" Itachi asked slowly.

"I didn't ask, I just asked what all Suigetsu told him."

"So how much does he know?" Kisame asked urgently.

"He knows that Naruto goes to college in the city and that he wasn't talking to me anymore. Before he told me the stalker-bitch was his cousin I had told him that we were speaking again. Other than that I'm not sure what all Suigetsu knows."

"It's not a lot to go on but it's still a lead. At least we have a connection as to where he got some of the information on Naruto," said Itachi.

"But what about how he knows the exact college he's attending or how Naruto is living in the city now? I only found out about his start date and his apartment less than a week ago! I haven't talked to Suigetsu for weeks aside from today."

"He's got a point Itachi. The kid can't be his only source of information but your theory was right. He's getting frustrated and he's starting to slip up," Kisame noted.

"Did he say anything else to you? Maybe something about where he's staying at or who he's hanging out with?" Mikoto questioned.

"I think he's actually staying with Suigetsu but as for who he's with, Suigetsu doesn't know. I think he described Zabuza earlier but he hasn't seen him around. He did mention that stalker-bitch was going into the city today because somebody was in the hospital..." Sasuke trailed off thinking that somebody would pick up on his train of thought.

"You think he heard about blondie going in?" Kisame asked.

"I do and if I'm right he knows that Tsunade was the one who treated him. Knowing Tsunade though she won't break doctor-patient confidentiality but she might punch him through the concrete walls if she recognizes his face."

"I'm sure she would call us if somebody were to ask her about Naruto. If she wouldn't call us she would definitely call Minato and Kushina," Mikoto reassured.

"Either way this is a blessing in disguise. Kisame, go and see Naruto so that you two can begin whatever it is that he has to work on. I'll call father and inform him of what you've told me Sasuke, then I'll call the others working on Naruto's case with me."

"I'll get dinner started in the meantime. We're going to have chicken corn soup with cranberry pear pie for dessert. Sasuke when you see Naruto later tonight tell him that we can finish picking whatever is left in the garden and go pumpkin picking tomorrow."

"I will mother but for now what should I be doing? I don't have any sort of homework and I don't want to disturb Naruto."

"Read a book. Or try to find out more about the stalker-bitch," Kisame offered before he stood up to stretch a bit.

"He's right in a way, little brother. Try and take your mind off of the situation for now. Go kill some people in your videogames for a couple of hours, I'm sure that Kisame will give Naruto a break after dinner," Itachi comforted.

"Why not help me make dinner Sasuke? Cooking always helps me clear my head and you could use the distraction. I'll tell you what you can do for me to help," his mother smiled at him. Sasuke smiled back.

"Alright, I'll help with dinner. I'm going to take Kyuubi up to Naruto though, I get the feeling he really wants to see him."

"Who wants to see whom?"

Their heads turned at the sudden appearance of Naruto, who was smiling at the looks of shock they displayed for him. Naruto laughed and Kyuubi sprinted towards him, begging to be held. Naruto bent down to pick up the tiny thing before the other two cats were meowing at him as well. Sasuke sputtered trying to ask how much Naruto had heard but Naruto beat him to the question.

"I take it something happened regarding my stalker?"

"Yes, but you don't have to worry about anything. Kisame is here to teach you what you need to know about your classes today," Itachi explained.

"Hello Kisame-sempai. I thought that either Iruka-sensei or Kakashi-sensei would be here."

"Normally they would have kid but they had night classes today. Iruka-sensei will be here on Thursday for you."

"Who will be with me tomorrow?"

"Nobody. The arrangement was that I would give you your workload for the entire week every Monday and one of the two people you just mentioned will be here on Thursdays to collect and grade the work you did. Don't worry about getting it all done in the span of a week; they'll only collect whatever is due. If anything you're getting a head start," Kisame explained.

"So when I normally went to classes five days a week, I now have you and one of my teachers coming two days a week…with an entire week's worth of material…for all my classes?" Naruto sorted out loud what he would have to do.

"I know it's tough but nobody said it would be easy for you. Just remember, you're the one who wanted to continue your education instead of come back to it after everything was said and done."

Naruto paled and Sasuke shook his head with sympathy. He once had to take on an entire four month's worth of expenditure reports and have them checked, organized and reported back to his father the next day. It was a test he passed with flying colors but it was by no means easy. Sasuke wasn't afraid to admit that he lost some sleep over it, but the sense of accomplishment he felt afterwards was well worth it and he was sure Naruto would feel the same. After that, Kisame and Naruto went to the dining room to begin their lessons, Itachi ventured up to his room to make his phone calls and Sasuke and Mikoto began dinner. Two hours later everybody had eaten their fill of the delicious food and had moved on to dessert. Around eleven Fugaku arrived home just as Kisame was leaving and everybody went to bed.

The week rolled by and with it the clothes shopping with Sakura. She had picked out many light colors for Naruto to work with his complexion but Sasuke argued that Naruto needed some dark pieces as well. The two had gotten into a rather vicious fight about it that Naruto couldn't interject in at all, but the day had been fun regardless. Sakura was curious about what was going on with the two boys and why they suddenly started talking again after two months and they explained it all to her as best as they could without revealing a lot of what happened. She was understanding of it all and was ultimately happy that her two friends were on good terms again. Sasuke had asked if she was going to be attending the Sabaku family haunted house to which the rosette squealed yes. The trio then ventured costume shopping for the night, all three finding things they thought would be appropriate for their friend's attraction. Before the real horror started most of the time there would be contests so that the people going into the house had an incentive to go inside. The incentive was to either 'prove you earned your prize' or 'claim your prize' and usually nobody would get the prize since they were too terrified to go through the whole house.

Soon the next week passed and the night before the Sabaku haunted house, Itachi explained what would happen to the boys to get them into hiding. It was detailed and even the slightest misstep could throw the whole thing off. Naruto was nervous, Sasuke was worried, Mikoto and Fugaku were tense about it the whole week and Minato and Kushina spent as much time with their baby as they could. The boys had begun to memorize their new lives Itachi and his crew made for them and now all they had to do was get through one more night. Since Naruto had come to stay with the Uchihas there had been nothing from the stalker and instead of calming Naruto down, it had only made him uptight and moody. Sasuke tried his best to keep him calm but when he felt the same way the blonde did, there was only so much he could do. Itachi approached them as Sasuke left his bathroom and Naruto was laying on the bed petting his cat; a sorrow sight for even the stoic Itachi Uchiha.

"How are you two feeling?"

"Apprehensive…paranoid…scared," Naruto quietly answered. Sasuke crossed the room to hug the blonde and Yomi jumped into Naruto's lap in front of Kyuubi as the blonde sat up.

"It's a normal thing to feel. Sasuke how about you?"

"I'm worried that something could go wrong. I'm hopeful that this will work and help you catch Haku faster and I'm also terrified of what will be happening once we get away from here."

"I'm hopeful as well. Try not to worry about too much though and try to have fun tomorrow night at the haunted house. We'll get you out of here as soon as it's over; that was the compromise, remember?"

"Yeah…." Naruto said sadly.

"It won't be for long Naruto and you'll have Sasuke with you the whole time," Itachi tried to cheer the blonde up.

"I know that."

"How about after we get settled at the new place we find a good restaurant where you can get some quality ramen? That'll make you feel better," Sasuke offered.

"That's a good idea but remember that you two won't be 'Naruto' and 'Sasuke' anymore. You have your identities, you know where you're going and what you'll be doing so try and be observant and careful about whom you get close to. A member of my team will be checking in with the both of you monthly to report your conditions and give you updates, but they won't be involved in your extraction for security reasons."

"What about our parents Itachi? When can we be in contact with them again?"

"You can call them again as soon as I'm the one to contact you. Once I call you or message you, it'll all be over. You two can come home and resume your normal lives," the older raven assured the saddened ball of sunshine.

"Thank you aniki, for doing this," Sasuke said sincerely.

"You don't have to thank me Sasuke you're the one who asked me to pull these strings. When you come back safe, you can thank me then."

Itachi walked towards the two boys on the bed that were family to him and displayed a very rare act of affection. He hugged them both tightly. He wouldn't admit it, but sending the boys away to somewhere he couldn't personally watch them was tearing him apart inside but he knew it had to be done. If he were more involved than he was already then the risks the two would face would be more dangerous and numerous. The stakes would have been too high for them to stay. Forcing the targets and the enemy onto equally foreign grounds was the only way to make sure they stayed in one piece. Letting a single tear spill down from his eye, the older Uchiha pulled away and instructed the boys to rest.

The next night, Naruto and Sasuke donned their Halloween costumes and bid the Uchihas farewell. Kushina and Minato met them at the Sabaku house to take the traditional Halloween photos before the house opened and also wished them luck. To any bystander it just appeared to be a family hoping their children survived the horrors of the house but Sasuke and Naruto knew what it really meant. Naruto's heart nearly tore in half as his mother smiled at him but let him see how much she was hurting under her mask. His father was the same way and even Sasuke had grab his chest to ease the pain there. Naruto's parents were always more expressive with their emotions than his own were and to see them hiding so much was unnatural.

Sasuke, going this year as Quinn Rose's Blood Dupre looked around to see if there was anybody else he knew there. He saw Ino as Alice and Chouji as a Knight of Hearts that didn't really suit him, Shino was a Ghostbuster but still held his high collar, and he surprisingly found Shikamaru there as well. Amazingly he had seemed to go all out and do an outstanding Joker costume from the most recent Batman movie. Naruto though looked the most incredible. Managing to find a costume from his all-time favorite game, Naruto nearly beamed in his Assassin's Creed Altair garb. He completed the look with a real sword, hidden blades, and other weapons of choice and it made Sasuke want to rip them all off of him. The boys heard a shriek and saw Sakura rushing towards them with her hair dyed red and dressed as Poison Ivy with Sai alongside her as the original comic's Bane. It seemed Batman was quite popular this year. Finally, Temari dressed as Batman's Harley Quinn, Kankuro looking like Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands and Gaara dressed as Child's Play's serial killing doll Chucky, all stepped out of the house. Temari clapped her hands twice and the crowd of eager to be frightened teenagers turned to face her. She cleared her throat and spoke to the crowd.

"Welcome, each and every one of you suckers, to the Sabaku family Haunted House!" The crowd applauded her and cheered before she quieted them down before speaking again.

"This year, we have a bit of a surprise for all of you. Veterans of the house will find it in the corn maze, newbies will just have to wet themselves if they can get to it. Step up if this is your first or second year coming to our…humble attraction." A group of twenty or thirty kids and teens stepped up to the front of the house and Kankuro and Gaara had to snicker. Most of them were zombies or Disney characters too innocent to appear anywhere close to a haunted house.

"You all will go into the house first. Go on it once your hands are stamped," she instructed as they lined up and gave her their hand. Once they were inside the screaming began and some fog rolled out.

"You'll find that we've had some…renovations done this year. Come one, come all…can you see your heads? Well watch them roll," as she finished multiple dismembered heads flew down from the windows on the upper levels of the house, sending some of the weaker patrons screaming down the streets. Sasuke and Naruto though only looked on in delight and hoped that the rest of the night would be this entertaining.

"The three of us will be in designated parts of the attraction as you veterans know so if you want a real kick out of things, or you want to get kicked out, come find us. With that said, we're going inside to get to our spots; file in in groups of three to five and remember to scream for me nice and loud," Temari finished before laughing manically as she and her brothers vanished inside the fog. Sasuke and Naruto were among the first group to enter, with Sakura, Sai and Shikamaru and as they passed the fog barrier, a heavy stone-sounding door closed behind them. They were now all at the mercy of the house.


	17. Chapter 16

**This will make it by barely a thread but it is updated on time! 11:35 pm where I'm at! The reason this is late getting updated is because something happened in my family that needed taking care of first. I'm not going to say what, but if there is no update in two weeks that is the reason.**

 **Enjoy the haunted house, as crappy as my head could make it. I had so many ideas for it but I couldn't seem to write them out short enough to fit everything into this chapter and still have room for the rest. Trust me, for the sake of feels, the last part of the chapter is needed! Guest reviewers abusing the system to tell me to kill myself, go somewhere else for God's sake. You're not wanted here! Only love and support of the SasuNaru pairing is welcomed here!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot. Kishimoto owns Naruto, unfortunately and I collect nothing but reviews and follows from this story. No brand names mentioned in this story are mine and I never claimed I owned them in the first place. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfictions.**

Naruto was quick to grab onto Sasuke; even though he loved the Sabaku's famous attraction he was always scared shitless. Sasuke placed a gentle hand on Naruto's arm and began to walk forward. So far the hallway was simple. It was long and dark, the typical 'blood spatter' on the walls and floor but the fog was making it difficult to see what he was stepping on. Sasuke was sure that there was going to be something grabbing onto their ankles or obstructions on the floor to trip on. Behind them Sakura let out a small shriek. Everyone turned around to see what had happened to her but to their surprise she wasn't there. Sai looked around in a panic for her and Shikamaru was knocking on the walls to see if there was anything amiss. Sasuke calmly stepped forward, continuing to travel down the hallway that seemed to be twisting. Suddenly the wall opened and Sakura tumbled out to crash into him. The two fell to the floor and Sakura was quick to grasp onto the Uchiha.

"Sakura get off of me; you're crushing my arm!" Sasuke growled.

"Sasuke-kun you don't understand! Something licked me! Then the wall opened and I was pushed through something slimy when the door opened!" she wailed as though she was about to cry. Sasuke grunted and pushed her off of him, pushing her towards Sai after he got back on his feet. Naruto fussed over the raven for a few seconds before a loud bang was heard behind them. It was followed by a series of scrapping metal sounds and a squishing noise. Finally gathering their wits the group ran to the door at the end of the hall. Sprinting as fast as they could with Naruto reaching the door first they were all surprised to see that instead of a wooden surface they came up to an open doorway. Not realizing what had happened, the five of them began to fall. Sai and Sakura screamed as Shikamaru made some sort of grumbling but still frightened noise while Naruto and Sasuke were somewhat silent. The fall had taken them by surprise but this same trap had been used last year and where they were going is what scared Naruto. The fall was really just a long water slide but this year the water had been dyed red to resemble blood.

Crash-landing at the bottom of the slide the group tumbled into a dog pile. They were quick to right themselves and stand up to assess where exactly they were.

"This isn't…like it was last year," Naruto said shakily. Sasuke could feel him tremble as they took in the sight.

Green, yellow and red lights as well as flames on the walls were the only things that gave the five almost adults any sort of comfort in the cave-like corridors. Stalagmites and stalactites protruded out from the ceiling and floor and there was a constant dripping sound in the distance. The space was damp and the air was musty making it difficult for Naruto to breathe. Shikamaru took a step forward and they could all hear the squishing of mud and rubble under his feet. The others in the group followed his lead and as they traveled further inside the tunnel, the lights faded to almost nothing. Shikamaru stopped in his tracks and signaled for the group to be quiet. Once it was silent, small footsteps could be heard to the right of them. All of them looked beside them and saw nothing but further ahead was an opening that led to another network of tunnels.

"Do we just go straight or should we follow the other way?" Sai asked.

"I say we go straight; it's got to lead out somewhere!" Sakura said hurriedly, wanting them to get out of the caves and into a less cramped part of the house.

"I think we should go right, take the other path. If we keep going straight there might be a dead end chamber," Naruto answered.

"We're the first ones down here though so if it is a dead end then we can just as easily turn around," Sasuke mentioned.

"Not if Temari got the cage out," Shikamaru added. Sakura shuddered, Sai paled if it was possible and Sasuke and Naruto gulped.

"To the right it is then," Sai hesitantly said as the others began to turn down the slightly lighted corridor.

As they continued down the hall a childlike giggling could be heard. Stones were thrown and Naruto had Sasuke's arm in a vice grip. The cave was slowly getting steeper to walk down and it made the option of running back up very difficult to execute if they had to get to that point. Sakura tripped and it caused her to fall and roll down to the bottom of the landing, with Sai and Shikamaru rolling with her. Sasuke and Naruto moved out of the way and pressed themselves against the wall to avoid the others but soon regretted it. The walls moved behind them. It was a hard nudge against his shoulder blades that moved down to the base of his spine that shot Sasuke away from the wall and down the slope. Naruto panicked and yelled Sasuke's name because at the moment Sasuke moved, the lights all shut off and the fire from the torches on the walls went out. High on adrenaline Naruto ran down the slope and took the first turn that he could, which was a left. The caves were never his favorite part of the attraction and this year they were proving to be more of a menace to his sanity.

Noticing that he was now running up another slope, he was deaf to the slamming gate in his fear laden condition. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear Sasuke calling for him but the raven was too far behind for him to wait. Once Naruto felt somewhat safe to turn around he instantly regretted it. Directly behind him was a black and white figure, face so close they were nearly touching, with red eyes and blood dripping from its mouth. Naruto backed away as fast as he could but the figure only stepped towards him slowly. Its' head cricked to the side and the eyes that had been red faded to black as it let out a scream. Naruto continued to run, not looking back to see if the thing was going to charge at him at any moment. As he sprinted forwards he let out a small laugh as he saw light at an opening in front of him. Just as he was about to pass through, an iron cage door slammed down in front of him, blocking his only exit.

Naruto grabbed the bars and shook them, trying to get it to move but to no avail.

"Help me! Somebody help me out of here, please!" he screamed in terror. His only answer was a child's giggling. The same giggle that he heard earlier with the rest of his group.

Suddenly a soft, faded, barely there voice sounded in his right ear, "You can't hide from me."

With the situation he was dealing with now concerning the stalker the fear was renewed in his mind. It seemed like the voice wasn't part of the attraction but a projection from deep within his mind. The panic of not getting away, the fear of knowing that he was putting others in danger made him freeze. He stayed like that until he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. Swinging his arm around to try and fight off his attached leech, he was stopped to realize that it was just Sasuke.

"Finally, I found you. You took off so fast that I thought something might have happened to you," he said with a slight pant in his voice. Naruto snapped out of his fear-rattled state and hugged his boyfriend.

"There was a thing down there…it got real close to me and screamed after its eyes went black. I had to get away from it," Naruto explained.

"I didn't see anything like that but come on. We have to get this gate open if we want to get out. I can see the surgery room from here."

"What happened to the others?"

"They might have found the cult chamber but I didn't run into them. I went looking for you. We started off going in the same direction but I went left when they went right," the raven informed him.

"Wait teme…did you hear a voice before you found me? Something that sounded like a kid?"

"I heard soft footsteps but no voices," he answered quickly. Naruto shook his head and bent down to help Sasuke lift the gate. When it was finally raised about half way, the mechanism that brought it down kicked into gear, taking the gate the rest of the way up. Looking behind them to make sure nothing was coming out for them, they both walked towards the pale blue-lit room.

Black flame candles and flickering blue lights could barely be seen through the thick sheets of heavy plastic. The boys walked through puddles that were thick and gooey as they kicked aside bits of seemingly flesh-like lumps on the floor. Weaving through the tables and tool stands they came to an open area. Three bodies lay naked on the floor, their stomachs sliced open and throats slashed as another was inside one of the refrigerated morgue units and the last was on an operating table. Screaming was heard throughout the rest of the house but Sasuke and Naruto couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. Based on what they could see there was no way out of this room unless you turned back; and having known the Sabaku family for years, turning back in their horror house was not an option.

Looking around the room Sasuke took in the ten units along the wall, with all of their doors shut except for four. Two of them were empty, one of them had a body in it and the other had some sort of dead animal inside of it. Sasuke wasn't sure if the body was just a prop or a hired actor but he didn't want to mess with it if he didn't have to. Naruto was shivering next to him and Sasuke wrapped an arm around his shoulders to try and comfort him but he noticed that the shivering wasn't from fear; it was getting cold in here. A crash thundered in the room and the floor suddenly fogged – the cold creeping up Sasuke's legs at the same time. The air dried and it was difficult to get a good breath in. As if the crash had woken them up, the five bodies started to move, cracking as they came to life. A man dressed as a surgeon pounced from behind them as he grabbed onto Naruto and pulled him away from Sasuke. Sasuke, in his surprise had been grabbed by the ankles and wrists by three of the zombies in the room.

"What a marvelous specimen that has been brought to me! He'll make a wonderful addition to my collection!" the doctor hollered as he let out a deranged laugh. Naruto tried to fight him off but the grip the man had was too tight. Naruto could feel through the fabric of the lab coat the man was wearing that he had a knife on him and he expected the man to pull it out soon. Sasuke struggled to break free of his captors before Naruto kicked the man in the shin, running back to his raven as the doctor nursed his now sore leg. Sasuke pulled one of his arms forward then suddenly let his muscles relax, causing the zombie to be hit in the face hard enough to stun him. Once Sasuke was loose the boys both backed away from the horde coming towards them.

"Start opening the doors!" Sasuke yelled. Turning around and yanking on the handles of the large metal doors, the raven frantically tried to pry one open.

"Which one's the right one?! They're all locked!" Naruto yelled back panicking as he struggled with the doors as well.

"There's no other way out, it has to be through one of these!" the raven cried.

"You don't have to hurry off to your death my dolls. I like to take my time with my specimens before I put them into storage," the doctor laughed as he closed in on them.

"Go in the open on! Third to the left on the second layer up from the floor! Hurry up dobe go!"

"I'm going teme you don't have to tell me twice!"

Naruto rushed to get inside of the unit and he army crawled to the back of it. Knocking on the back of the wall, it came loose and fell, revealing a tight corridor no bigger than an air vent.

"Sasuke get in here! It's got a fake back!" Naruto screamed.

"Then get moving dumbass!" the other yelled back.

Naruto moved as fast as he could through the small space and looked back to see if the Uchiha was behind him. Indeed the other was close to him but he was struggling to get further into the space. Something must have had a grip on his feet to hold him back. Naruto saw that he was slipping backwards slowly, revealing that the other was indeed being dragged back. Sasuke gave a violent kick, shaking off the hold but also banging his knee off of something. The Uchiha yelled for Naruto to keep moving and after a little while of crawling they came to an open grate. Naruto pushed himself forward and out of the small space to come to the entrance of the corn maze. Waiting for Sasuke to get out of the vent as well Naruto could only look at the tall stalks and hope that whatever 'new' thing the Sabaku's had in store for them wasn't something small and sharp. Knowing how into the holiday the whole family got he wouldn't be surprised to find the paths bordered with barbed wire.

Sasuke finally emerged from the crawl space and landed with a loud thud next to Naruto. Naruto looked back at him and noticed that the raven was wincing in pain. He hissed and the assassin was next to him in an instant.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Naruto asked worried for his boyfriend.

"My knee…I banged it off of something and it's killing me now," the other hissed.

"Which knee is it?"

"My left one; one of those guys had a good grip on my ankle so I had to kick to get loose and I hit it off of the bottom of the doorway."

"You hurt that one sophomore year playing basketball didn't you? Let me take a look at it," Naruto said as he sat in front of Sasuke. Sasuke brought his leg out and Naruto gasped as he saw the ripped pants and the bleeding knee.

"You must have cut it on something. It's not bleeding too badly right now but it you hit if off anything else you might not be so lucky."

"It'll be fine once we get home. I'll bandage it up before Itachi sends us to leave," Sasuke said quickly. Naruto froze at his words and let them sink in.

"Naruto? What's wrong? You got quiet on me all of a sudden, are you okay?"

"Sasuke…is going into hiding really the right thing to do? What if Haku just finds us again? What if he just gives up on me and moves on while we have no idea for sure?"

"How long have you been thinking about this?" Sasuke asked.

"Not very long, only the last couple of days. We might be causing people unnecessary worry by leaving and I don't want that. It's not like we're incapable of protecting ourselves from this guy now that we know who he is so maybe we don't need to leave at all," Naruto said hopeful that his love would agree with him. Sasuke sighed and pulled Naruto close to him. Tired of not being able to look at him through his hood, the raven pulled the material back. Instead of the bright, sunny blonde locks of hair he was used to a dark black met his eyes and fell into the tan boy's face. Sasuke ran his hands through his boyfriend's hair and pulled him close into a loose hug.

"Baby…too many things are in place now to abandon the plan. Yes people will worry, and maybe this will all be for nothing; but in order to know we have to do this. The fact of the matter is that we don't know what Haku is capable of, we don't know how long he's been after you already and we don't know if he'll stay quiet like he has for the last couple of weeks. Right now, leaving is the only way to keep you safe. If he follows us, Itachi told us what he can do to track him but if we stay here you're a sitting duck. For now just forget about the plan and have fun. It may be creepy but we've only seen two parts of the house. The corn maze is right in front of us, so do you want to do that or try and go find one of the 'executives' as they like to call themselves?" Sasuke asked as he tried to lighten the damp mood his boyfriend was now in. Normally Naruto would be scared out of his skin but he would have fun with it all.

"Let's try to find Temari, Kankuro and Gaara. If we have to leave I would like to see them one more time; even if their house is trying to kill me tonight," Naruto said softly but smiled regardless.

"Then we should head to the back of the house. Shikamaru said at work today that Temari has a circus tent set up back there so that she can keep the theme of her costume on track."

"She looks weird with only two ponytails. The red and black look good on her though, I have to admit," Naruto said lightly.

"I'm just surprised that Shikamaru matched her so well. He told me that he was just going to wear the suit," the Uchiha lazily commented.

"As much as Temari loves Halloween and as much as Shikamaru loves her it doesn't surprise me in the least that he got all done up. It would surprise me if he went and got his make-up done professionally though," the dyed raven laughed which made Sasuke feel better.

"Well then let's get going. She wants to hear you scream and I imagine that she's tired of all the newbies crying to her."

The two boys got up and circled to the back of the house where there was indeed a tent set up. Opening the flaps dozens of clowns and jack-in-the-boxes popped out, causing a scream to erupt from Naruto's throat. Even Sasuke had to let out a loud yell. The boys in the costumes laughed and did backflips all the way down to the center of the ring. Sasuke and Naruto looked around and saw Sai and Sakura standing next to Temari, tied up and crying. The floor was riddled with plastic that was made to resemble glass shards and they even crunched like glass when you stepped on them and the couple beside Temari seemed to have fallen and tripped here. Sakura's costume was torn in several places and her arm and shoulder was bleeding pretty heavily. Maybe it wasn't plastic after all.

"Come on Ivy, scream for me! I know you know where my Mr. J went so why not tell me and ease your suffering? Not like we can do anything about it now though," 'Harley' said as she laughed like a madwoman. To be fair to her she was staying in character. She didn't use Sakura's name, which made it seem like it was Poison Ivy being interrogated rather than a beauty school student.

As they were admiring the malicious display Temari created, Sasuke and Naruto were both pulled out of the tent by two separate people. Their mouths were covered so screaming was pointless but they were quickly spun around to come face to face with Gaara and Kankuro. The couple took a sigh of relief before Naruto smacked the both of them.

"What are you guys doing down here?! Kankuro you're supposed to be in the mirror room and Gaara is…. You're supposed to be…. Where are you supposed to be?" Naruto asked as his confusion shone clear. He hadn't seen any of the Chucky movies so he had no idea what the red head's role was supposed to be.

"I'm in the cornfield this year," Gaara answered.

"We're out here because a few people wanted escorted out. The third floor slide isn't working so we had to get them out the hard way. You remember how you got stuck on the roof three years ago right Naruto?" Kankuro teased.

"I'll have you know that my pimp cape just got caught on some of your sister's iron bar traps…I was not stuck up there."

"Yeah dobe and you didn't scream for me to call the fire department to come and get you down because you're afraid of heights," Sasuke jibbed.

"Anyway we have to get back to scaring the shit out of people. You should totally do the corn maze; Gaara's got some really creepy shit going on in there this year!" With that the two brothers left and the boys backed away from Temari's tent. Deciding to follow Kankuro's advice, they ran back to the corn maze. Sure enough, but unknowing of how he beat them, Gaara was at the entrance holding a butcher knife and cackling like there was no tomorrow, a scene that was terrifying in and of itself. Some man with a chainsaw sounded behind him and a hoard of screaming girls emerged from the stalks. Their faces were messes with their make-up running and tears streaming but Sasuke and Naruto shuddered not at them, but the black hooded figure waving a scythe around in a circle behind them. The ghoul moved back inside of the maze, going backwards while keeping an eye on Naruto all the while.

Naruto kept eye contact with the figure as well but couldn't shake the feeling that he knew the person under the hood. His own hood had been put back up before they left for Temari's tent so he was unrecognizable as he was to strangers. The reaper however seemed to stare right through him and the curiosity Naruto had about him made him wander into the maze ahead of Sasuke. Sasuke, not sensing Naruto beside him but being aware of the figure immediately went to speak to Gaara. Pulling him aside and growling at him, the Uchiha held his fake cane up to the others throat.

"The reaper – who is it under the costume? What new stuff do you have in here?" Sasuke interrogated.

Gaara rolled his eyes and gave the raven an 'are you stupid' look.

"If you want to see the new stuff, go in and find it. So far only five people have seen it and they've only seen it because they came from Kankuro's room. You and Naruto though, since I like you guys, can just cut through to the center left of the maze. Just watch for the barbed wire and the fire-cracker traps. Where is Naruto?"

"Does the reaper have anything to do with the new stuff you have?"

"What reaper?" Gaara asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"The one with the scythe that just chased that group of girls out of the maze," Sasuke growled not getting frustrated that he wasn't getting any straight answers.

"We don't have any reapers here. We decided that they were too overdone last year so we didn't hire any this time," the red head explained. Sasuke's eyes widened in panic. If there was no reaper hired to be here then…he had to find Naruto fast.

Naruto had lost sight of the man in black almost as soon as he got on a path. He was deep in the maze. His mind registered that Sasuke was nowhere near him and that he was alone. Fear crawled up his spine, but he refused to let it freeze him. He needed to keep moving, and he needed to do it fast. The paths wound around each other and there were no straight ways to go in this field, and Naruto knew that. Coming to a fork in the path he took the right curve to try and find the Headless Horseman. The Horseman always stayed in one designated place in the maze, unlike the scarecrow which purposely wandered in order to frighten as many people as possible. Naruto continued to walk, since he refused to admit how fast he was really going, down the winding paths. He was trying to ignore the sounds of a blade chopping down stalks alongside him and the heavy footfalls that accompanied them as best he could but with adrenaline already pumping through one's veins to keep them moving, his senses wouldn't let him be ignorant to the sounds. Breaking out into a run, Naruto cut straight through the corn – running off the path and going straight to the center. There was a tractor there, since he had abandoned the Horseman idea, and he knew if he could find it then he could try and hide inside of it.

The footsteps Naruto heard sped up to match him and just as he was about to make a tight left turn, the scythe the black figure wielded came down in front of him. Naruto screamed and fell; the left side of his body coming into a hard contact with the ground and he felt something snap. Not staying long enough to see the person get closer to him, he scrambled to stand up and found that he couldn't lift his arm well enough to push him off the ground. Because of the corn stalks rolling was impossible so he did the next best thing he could think of. He swung his leg out to kick the blade away from him and reverse somersaulted away from it and into an open portion of the field. Now on his feet he continued to run but just has he got back on a path, he was grabbed, a hand over his mouth muffling his screams and was pulled into another section of the maze.

Sasuke was sprinting through the field trying his best to find his love but the stalks were too thick and it was too dark out to see more than five feet in front of him. The paths weren't helping and seemed to go in circles for the most part but it wasn't going to stop him. Cutting through the standing corn stalks he came to a part of it that already seemed to have been run through. What caught his eye though was a piece of bright white cloth that was stuck to one of the knocked down stubs. Upon closer inspection he realized it was a piece of Naruto's costume. Sasuke looked around frantically in all directions and tried to see if his love was close.

"Naruto! Where are you?! Answer me!" he cried but was answered with silence aside from an echo and the other shrieking participants of the haunted attraction.

"Dammit! Naruto come on, please say something!" he tried again. A rustling was heard behind him and he turned around quick. The black figure was behind him but his blade was missing. Sasuke backed away from him but glared evilly at the man. Deciding that Naruto was his first priority Sasuke ran from the man and tried to follow the crushed stalks of corn that he found Naruto's costume piece on.

His bearings were lost, he had no idea what part of the maze he was in but he knew he couldn't stop. Nearly out of breath and already having searched half the maze Sasuke stopped at a clearing to bend over to take a short break. Time was of the essence but he was no help to his lover if he was running around like a chicken with its' head cut off. In the middle of his panting though he stopped…chains rattled, feet were stomping closer to him and a whip cracked in the distance. Sasuke's head shot up and he straightened, standing like a statue, eyes wide in panic and sweat pouring from his brow. The chains grew louder, a cackling could be heard now, and the revving of an engine suddenly boomed. Lights blinded Sasuke and all he could do was stare. It seemed as though he found the new part of the attraction.

The four-wheeler revved its' engine again and propelled straight for him. Sasuke's nerves finally kicked back in and he ducked to avoid the swinging chain from the man's hand, but wasn't so lucky as to avoid the ones hanging from the back of the vehicle. Another set of lights came at him from his left and he rolled to avoid the whip. Breaking out into a run Sasuke ran straight for the house in the distance. He needed out of this place and he had to get Gaara to communicate with the staff he hired to see if they saw Naruto. If they had then they could bring him out safely. The four-wheelers turned around and the two drivers hooted and hollered but he still didn't turn back. Finally breaking free from the maze and having enough of the whole attraction for the holiday, Sasuke collapsed to his knees. His left knee had started to bleed again and with the adrenaline wearing off he was feeling the pain once more but he couldn't focus on that right now. He still had to find Naruto. Just as he was about to stand again to go to Gaara, he was grabbed, muffled and dragged back into the maze.

Sasuke struggled to get out of the hold his captor had on him but the person was strong. After being dragged a fair distance, he was finally let go. Sasuke swung around and punched the man in the chest; winding him and knocking him back. The Uchiha was about to run but he heard his name being called. Turning around he was tackled to the ground by none other than his beloved Naruto. Sasuke nearly cried as he hugged Naruto back and squeezed him as tight as he could. Naruto pulled back and looked at his boyfriend.

"I was scared for a little while when he took me away but when he explained that he worked with your brother it made sense," he said with tears in his eyes. Sasuke looked at him confused but took a minute to take in what the dobe was wearing. He was in a pair of his new dark jeans, black combat boots, a red and black 'Sharingan' band shirt and a long black coat. Naruto saw the confusion in Sasuke's eyes and decided to clear some things up for the natural raven.

"Kisame-senpai picked me up from the corn maze after I lost the hooded guy. He brought me here and gave me a change of clothes and told me what would happen next. He said someone named Kakuzu was supposed to get you and bring you here so that you could change and then…we would leave."

"Leave for home or leave, leave?"

"Leave, leave kid. Your older brother must have left this part of the plan out for your own good but he could have told us that you didn't know," said the man that must have been Kakuzu. His voice was gruff and Sasuke couldn't tell if it was from the punch or just his natural sound. Naruto got off of Sasuke and helped him to stand up. Sasuke bowed his head in apology to the man and he just shook his head and waved him off.

"Sorry, no he didn't tell us. Would you mind telling me where we're going from here?" Sasuke asked.

"To the airport; Itachi already had our connection's plane on stand-by for tonight so as soon as we get you guys there, you're history. Say goodbye to Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki," Kisame said with a smile.

Naruto frowned and Sasuke hugged him, rubbing his back and kissing his temple as a comfort. Kisame threw a bag at Sasuke's feet before he told them that he and Kakuzu would give them a few minutes of privacy before they had to go. Naruto respectfully turned around as Sasuke stripped out of his costume and into his other clothes in the bag. Sasuke smirked at Naruto, not knowing why he had turned around but not needing to ask for the reason for doing it, and pulled on his black jeans, white long-sleeved high school basketball shirt and black hoodie before he slipped into his own pair of dark combat boots. Once he was finished he hugged Naruto from behind and kissed the back of his neck. Naruto also placed his hands on top of Sasuke's arms and leaned back into the warmth of his Uchiha's arms.

"I guess it's time to go," Naruto said in a resigned manner.

"Yeah…we'll be fine baby. We just have to think of this as a vacation. We'll be back soon, you'll see," Sasuke reassured.

"What if we aren't? How long is 'soon' 'suke? This is my problem and I've dragged so many people into it and now –"

"You didn't do anything – it was your stalker that started this. You dragged nobody into this – they wanted to help you. I don't know how long or short 'soon' will be but I do know that I will be with you. I promise I will be with you. Now come on, before those two come back and see something they don't want to," the raven softly told his former blonde. Naruto agreed and the two walked off to find the older men.

"We're ready to go when you guys are," Naruto smiled as he tried to stay calm.

"Good. Get in the truck and stay quiet. We've got about half an hour's drive ahead of us and I don't like questions," Kakuzu grumbled.

"Don't mind him; he's just grumpy that he was put with me on this assignment and not his usual partner. But he's right that we don't have all that much time. I'm sure that in a few hours while you guys are on the plane that your friends will be looking for you inside of that haunted house," Kisame commented.

Sasuke 'hn-ed' and Naruto smiled slightly but they both climbed into the Chevy Colorado. Naruto settled down in the middle of the back seat while Sasuke stuck by the window so that Naruto could lean on him if he so desired. Kisame got into the passenger seat and Kakuzu got behind the wheel and started the engine. The truck came to life and sped out onto the road. Naruto, much to Sasuke's delight, leaned on his boyfriend and closed his eyes. Sasuke kissed his crown and draped an arm over his shoulder to pull Naruto closer to his chest. Naruto thought back to when Itachi explained what would be happening to their lives in a few short hours.

* * *

 _Itachi, Sasuke and Naruto were seated in Fugaku's office with the doors locked and the room sealed from outside communications. No bugs or wires could penetrate the security of the room they were in now and that was just what the older raven had wanted. Itachi took a drink of the amber colored liquid in his glass and finally addressed the two waiting boys in front of him._

 _"_ _I have with me the files that contain your current future lives. Who should I start with?" he asked._

 _"_ _Start with Naruto, he's the one we're focusing on here big brother," Sasuke snapped._

 _"_ _Very well. Naruto, are you prepared?"_

 _"_ _Hit me with your best shot Itachi," Naruto smirked._

 _"_ _Your name will be Conner Reid, a twenty-two year-old with a passion for games and a strong love for animals. You will be living in Queenstown, New Zealand and you'll be employed at a local daycare center. Your job will be to aid the instructors there with anything they see fit; be it cooking, cleaning, caring for the children or errands that need running. Your story is a sad one; you lost both your parents to cancer four months ago and decided to leave home to get away from the memories. Whatever happened to you during that time you're uncomfortable talking about – no questions. The less information you give to people about your personal life the better. You have two brothers and one sister; all of which live a great distance from you and have lost contact with you. Your first brother is named Charles, thirty-one years old with two children that you've never met and he works as a veterinary technician. His wife still calls you every now and again but she's afraid your brother will be angry with her if he finds out she calls you," Itachi explained._

 _"_ _Um, Itachi? Is all of this really necessary? I mean it all seems like a lot to take in in just a day," Naruto said weary with the information overload at such a fast pace._

 _"_ _Naruto small details like this are what makes going into hiding or breaks it. The more you know about your own story the less likely you are to screw something up. To continue, your second brother is Adam, twenty-seven and works on a cruise line as a massage therapist. He is unmarried but is engaged to a lovely young lady by the name of Athena. Your sister is named Natalia Romano who married an Italian gentleman by the name of Vincent. She is twenty-four and already has two children but you've never met either one of them. Again, you all are out of touch and you like it that way."_

 _"_ _Big brother what about-"_

 _"_ _I'm getting to you right now Sasuke. Your new name is Logan Walker, Conner's lover. You decided to move to New Zealand together after his parents passed away in order to give him and yourself a fresh start. You two have been dating for two and a half years and are considering proposing to Conner. Both of your parents disappeared when you were eight and you were raised by your older brother. Said older brother's name is Shawn. Shawn is thirty-three to your twenty-four. He is employed as a designer for a small time company that deals primarily with electronics. The role of your older brother will be played by Deidara, who will be your contact to everything back here while you're gone. He'll be giving me your progress reports as well. Deidara will also be giving you any information he can about the stalker in regards to his whereabouts or his activities. Do you have questions so far?" Itachi asked. He was looking between the boys calculatingly and although Naruto looked ready to cry, his little brother was the perfect Uchiha. His dark eyes were calculating, cold, and Itachi could tell that his mind was open to any and all information he could get._

 _"_ _What will I be doing while I'm over there?" Sasuke asked._

 _"_ _You will be an assistant at a law firm twenty minutes away from your apartment. You and Naruto will be living together so don't have a panic attack thinking that I would separate you two."_

 _"_ _What about income? How are we going to pay for everything that we need if we're just moving there in a couple of days?" Naruto asked, his head still swimming with everything that was being unloaded on him. His class work was difficult enough as it was so to put all of this on top of that was beginning to overwhelm the blonde._

 _"_ _You'll be staying at another member of the Red Cloud organization's apartment complex since he's stationed in New Zealand, but he's not involved in this assignment so he doesn't know the details like I do. All he knows is that the rent will be paid on time every month with a little extra deposited in his own personal account. Should you need him, his name is Tobi. He is a distant relative of ours Sasuke but he's different from the usual Uchiha mold," Itachi explained as he let out a heavy sigh. Memories of working with Tobi flooding back to the forefront of his mind and causing him a headache._

 _"_ _So what about our bank accounts? It'd be less than smart to just transfer money over from 'Naruto Namikaze-Uzumaki' to 'Conner Reid' don't you think?" Naruto again questioned and Sasuke could say he was impressed with how well Naruto's brain worked when he was tired._

 _"_ _I have bank accounts set up for you in Conner Reid and Logan Walker's names. The funds come from sources you don't need to worry about but just understand that money will be deposited for you monthly. It won't be the luxury you're used to having here at home but you'll be comfortable and able to make a decent living," he finished._

 _"_ _What about things for us to do or places to avoid going?" Sasuke asked._

 _"_ _Queenstown is a big tourist city in New Zealand; there are plenty of things to do such as cruises or various relaxation spas. There are also wine tastings, hiking, family attractions and much more for you to explore," the older sounded, seeming to be almost reading from a pamphlet._

 _"_ _That doesn't answer my question, aniki."_

 _"_ _Use your own discretion. I trust your judgement enough to let you roam around another country with your boyfriend for more than a few weeks."_

 _"_ _Itachi, what about how we'll be getting there?" Naruto asked quietly._

 _"_ _You'll be going by plane of course, but it won't be commercial in the least. The two of you will essentially 'go missing' and if everything goes according to plan, after a few days you'll be reported gone. When the police get involved I can fill them in on certain things but until such a time that they are called, everything will be kept very quiet. You both have your new passports but we have to wait to get the pictures taken until you both change. Sasuke your hair will be bleached to a lighter color than it is now and you'll be wearing colored contacts to give you blue eyes and Naruto, your hair will unfortunately have to go black. So, without my baby brother going blonde, you'll be switching. Naruto I know about your difficulty with putting anything into your eyes so fake glasses will be required of you. You'll also have to wear a small amount of make-up to hide the birthmarks you have on your cheeks. This stalker knows every detail about you so the less you look like you, the better. Sasuke, since we don't really have the time to grow your hair out, and I know you're strongly against cutting it, we'll be putting extensions in it to give you mid-back length hair in a few places."_

 _"_ _He'll still have his spikes though right?" Naruto quickly wanted clarified. Sasuke's eyes widened and Itachi also looked at him funny._

 _"_ _It's just that…well I like his spikes…I know them. If he loses them I won't feel like I'm with Sasuke anymore…." Naruto lowered his head and pouted, telling Sasuke that he didn't want to date, or marry, Logan Walker. Sasuke held Naruto's hand from his seat and looked back to his brother._

 _"_ _My spikes stay. We can do the girly extensions, but we're keeping my spikes," he said, voice full of authority and demanding._

 _"_ _Very well, the precious spikes can stay," Itachi smiled slightly in amusement._

* * *

Naruto had thought that everything would be smooth but it seemed as though now, sitting in the back seat of a truck heading to the airport, things had gotten out of hand slightly. The plan seemed rushed, the abduction of the two spontaneous, and the misinformation a slip of the mind. Sasuke noticed Naruto thinking and kissed the temporary black silk crown again.

"Hey, stop thinking for a while. It's not like what Itachi explained but it's not like its worse for the long run. This way it actually seems like we're going missing. If we had disappeared tomorrow like it was planned then our friends would have been asking questions. Itachi would have had a harder time. This way everything will still be on track," Sasuke finished as he rubbed small circles on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto looked up at him and smiled.

"I know and you're right…Logan."

"Just remember that I love you and I'll be with you, Conner."

"Kids, just to let you know, we've arrived. Your belongings that were already packed are already inside the plane so all you have to do is board," Kakuzu spoke suddenly.

"Thank you…both of you I guess," Naruto said.

"Don't thank us Conner, thank your boyfriend's connection. Logan's a good guy so you'd better keep him," Kisame said with a wink. Naruto and Sasuke both blushed slightly at the comment but said nothing in return. They all exited the truck and crossed the open runway to come to the plane. Quickly taking the pictures that were needed for their passports, Sasuke and Naruto hopped into the small plane; the piolet already inside and waiting for them. Kisame gave the man the go ahead and waved goodbye to the two boys in the back before the plane started and took off. Naruto and Sasuke peered out the windows of the small aircraft and took one last look at the homes they wouldn't be seeing again for quite some time.

Meanwhile in the Namikaze-Uzumaki house Kushina was cooking up a storm and Minato was doing some office work in the kitchen to keep her company. The red haired woman set plate after plate of gourmet food in front of her husband for him to taste, and like the professional husband he was, he ate it without complaint. Kushina was in the middle of her seventh dessert when the phone rang. Minato picked it up before her though and she swore at him enough to make any sailor cringe. For once ignoring his wife's angry cries to give her the phone, Minato paid attention to the speaker.

"Are you sure?" he asked cryptically and Kushina went still.

"Alright…I'll pass the information along. Thank you." The blonde man hung up the phone and sighed. One look to his wife and she crumbled to the floor in tears.

The Uchiha mansion was quiet; a normal occurrence any usual time but in the last two weeks rare. The Namikaze-Uzumaki child brought so much light and laughter to the house that even Fugaku cracked a genuine smile once or twice. Now though the place was almost desolate. Itachi found that he had trouble breathing in the house now that he had gotten off the phone. Picking himself up off the floor of his precious baby brother's room, putting down Sasuke's favorite hoodie and Naruto's intentionally forgotten necklace, and slowly exiting the space, Itachi made it way down the hall to reach his parents. Coming up to their door he knocked three times, slowly, before he heard a strained 'come in' from the other side. He opened the door and gazed at his mother and father on their bed. Mikoto was curled up in a tight ball against Fugaku's chest as the man's arms were secured tightly around the woman. Both of their eyes betrayed their tears and both sets of miserable black settled on him.

"Well Itachi? What's happened?" Fugaku asked as he took a shaky breath. Mikoto sniffed and her bottom lip quivered as she waited for her eldest son to give them the news. Itachi stiffened, three teardrops escaped from his eyes and he also took a shaky breath.

"It is done…they're gone," he struggled to say.

Mikoto closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, letting out a muffled sob as she buried her head back into her husband's chest. Fugaku too squeezed his eyes shut and rested his head on top of his beloved wife's. Their baby was gone. Out of their protection. Not only was their baby gone but his beloved was gone with him. The Uchihas worried for the boys but knew that there was nothing more that could be done. Itachi bowed to his parents and left them. Going back to his baby brother's room he found Tsuku and Yomi crying out in search for their master alongside Kyuubi. Bringing the three cats as close to him as he could, Itachi curled up in a ball and wept. That night, he fell asleep in his brother's room.


	18. Chapter 17

**I have returned! Holidays are over, family drama is sorted out and my hiatus is done! I'm so sorry for such a big gap in updating, especially since I was so good about keeping to a schedule, but two days before the last scheduled update day my laptop died suddenly on me. I spent almost a month going in and out of tech stores trying to see if they knew what was wrong with her and I got like six different answers. So between getting a new laptop and the holiday rush, I've been trying to collect the data I had on my old one. Stupidly though, I forgot that I had an external hard drive that backed everything up for me so I hadn't really lost anything...just a few pictures from my cousin's wedding but I can get those from other members of my family.**

 **Anyway, I know that that's not really an excuse to stay away for so long and I hope that you'll forgive me! I'm posting a lot of stuff today though so hopefully you'll go on to read the other stuff too :) That is if you people still like me after being gone for so long. I'll try to post another chapter of this story today as well, seeing as it's still early here.**

As he expected Itachi woke up to a massive headache and a very heavy pressure on his shoulders. He was still dressed and three cats surrounded him as though he was the only thing they knew. The long-haired man took in the surrounding walls and décor of his precious little brothers room and heaved a grieving sigh. In his mind he knew that strategically what he did was the right thing to do to keep Sasuke and Naruto safe, but his heart was screaming at him that he could have done more to catch the stalker before it got to this stage. They hadn't received a letter from the bastard since the hospital incident and his team was closer to catching Zabuza more than ever, but alas what was done is done. Itachi took some mild comfort in the knowledge that he would still be updated on Sasuke's condition and the thought that the younger Uchiha might enjoy himself during the hiding made the man smile.

Absently Itachi began to stroke Tsuku since the black feline was closest to his chest and gazed at the clock on his brother's nightstand. He was surprised to see how late in the morning it was, almost ten thirty, but he took no measures to move from his position. The family agreed earlier in the week that they would all take off from work today in order to have some time to themselves to 'mourn' the loss of their son and sibling. Itachi was sure that Minato and Kushina were doing the same thing for Naruto, and as he thought about the blonde bundle of sunshine he felt another pang in his chest. If only he had come to the family sooner about his problem; if only he hadn't of separated from Sasuke after they graduated! But he also knew that Naruto was not the only one to hold the blame, not that it was his fault he had a stalker in the first place. If Sasuke had just come clean about his feelings to the blonde this could have been avoided and Naruto might still be safe and sound at his school. Sasuke was a pretty intimidating man whenever he wanted to be, hell all Uchiha's are, so Itachi was sure that his younger brother would have solved this stalker problem within a week if he and the blonde had been dating. Of course nothing was ever a guarantee in life so there was no telling if Naruto's stalker would have still been there or not with Sasuke's presence but the chances of the ordeal making it as far as it has would have been very slim.

Itachi was stolen from his thoughts as he heard a soft knock on the open bedroom door. He looked up slowly from the purring cat now on his chest to see his mother standing in the doorway. To the public eye she appeared normal; clothes neat without a wrinkle, hair combed to imitate the finest silk, make-up done tastefully to make her look even more stunning than she already was, skin glowing softly in the right light and posture straight and sure of herself, but to her son she was a mess. Mikoto's eyes held pain and a faint trace of red surrounded her black orbs due to crying and possibly a lack of sleep. She wore an older sweater and some form fitting black pants instead of a nicer skirt and blouse, meaning she had avoided digging in her closet this morning and maybe even skipped focusing on make-up. There were smudges around her eyes because of faulty application of eyeliner and her cheeks were more red from constantly wiping tears away from her face than the blush she was wearing. All-in-all Itachi wanted nothing more than to kill the stalker-bitch responsible for doing this to Naruto. It was his fault that Itachi and the Akatsuki had to send the boys away from their families, and once Itachi had the man in custody he would be sure to teach him what hell was.

Collecting himself enough to come back to the present situation, Itachi shook his head and propped himself up on his elbow to greet his mother. Mikoto entered the room and sat next to him as the remaining two felines curled themselves around her seeking attention. She smiled, but Itachi could tell it didn't reach her eyes, and turned towards her eldest son.

"Are you finally awake or does your father need to make another pot of coffee this morning?"

"I'm awake, mother. What time did you two get up?"

"I suppose I got up around seven, maybe eight, but I don't think your father slept at all last night. When I woke up he wasn't lying next to me in our bed and I didn't find him in here when I checked. I went down to the kitchen to see him sitting in the living room watching the news."

"It's just his way of coping I suppose."

"He's beating himself up over this, I'm sure of it. And if he's beating himself up then I know you're doing it as well," Mikoto mildly scolded him. Itachi looked away from her and sighed.

"If I had known about all of this before-"

"We had no way of knowing – there was no way we could have known at the time. Things played out like they did because of circumstances outside of our control. We can keep saying 'if only Sasuke hadn't of done this' or 'if Naruto hadn't of done that' for the rest of our lives but it won't change what's happened. For now they're gone but if what you have planned goes as planned…then everything will be fine."

"I know mother but I'm his big brother; I shouldn't have let him avoid Naruto for so long. I'm supposed to protect him when you and father can't and because I didn't, he and Naruto are in this situation now!"

"Then your father, Minato, Kushina and I are just as much to blame."

"You couldn't have known-"

"Then neither could you."

Itachi felt a few tears run down his face but Mikoto wiped them away with the pad of her thumb as she cupped his face. She smiled at him and kissed his forehead, making him feel warm inside instead of hollow.

"Now that that's settled, you missed breakfast so your father and I were wondering if you wanted to join us to go to Minato and Kushina's house so that we can all go out to lunch. And before you ask, your father is the one who suggested it. He's been on the phone with Minato for half an hour now talking about god knows what to keep their minds off of the situation," she said as she quickly rolled her eyes.

"That sounds like a good idea mother. I'll be downstairs in a few minutes; I'm going to grab a shower real quick."

"Go to your own room and do it then; you know how fussy Sasuke can get when anything is out of order in his room. If he finds anything out of place when he comes home he'll have a fit for sure," she finished as she gave a couple sad chuckles.

"Very well, I like my bathroom anyway," Itachi joked with her.

The two got up from Sasuke's bed and ventured down the hall until Mikoto went downstairs and Itachi continued towards his room. The usual light gray walls greeted him and although he usually took comfort in the space he only felt that it was mocking him. The color was bleak and depressing whenever you stood back and really looked at the room. All of his bedroom furniture was solid black, the carpet a solid dark blue with only a couple of medium gray foot rugs on either side of is bed to break it up, and the closet consisted of neat black, gray and navy-blue suits. The only thing that really gave the room color was his bed, dressed neatly with a dark red and black comforter and pillows. The art on the walls were all dark as well but at least they had lighted frames to give them some sort of importance in the room. Itachi shook his head at the now depressing room and made his way to his, at least brighter, bathroom. This space was mostly white but he accented it with tan towels and wicker baskets. Disregarding the space as he had done with his bedroom, he opened the glass shower door to turn the taps to the right temperature he wanted. As the water warmed up he stripped off his shirt, undershirt, socks, pants and boxers and let his hair out if its' tie so that it fell loose down his back.

After his shower was done and his long hair dried, he swore even if it was a pain in the ass to take care of he would never cut it, he exited the bathroom and strode over to his closet. Picking out just some dark jeans and a long sleeved, plain white shirt he tossed the clothes on his bed and went over to his drawer to pick out some boxers. Once that was done, he was quickly dressed and began looking for his favorite hoodie to wear over the white shirt. Even though Itachi was formal most of the time it didn't mean he didn't have leisure clothes, and his black Sharingan hoodie was his favorite thing to wear out in public. The thing had been a gift from Sasuke three years ago when he came back from the bands tour in Europe and since Itachi worked, he sadly hadn't been able to go. Itachi was happy Sasuke even thought about him when he was attending all of the concerts, but the thing was damn comfortable and thick enough to keep him warm in single digit weather. Today would be perfect to wear it since it seemed to be raining outside and they were expecting snow sometime in the week.

Having located his hoodie, Itachi rushed downstairs to meet his parents. He heard his father still talking on the phone with who he assumed was Minato but was proven wrong as the conversation progressed. Fugaku was rubbing his forehead with his left hand as the phone was being held with his right and the man looked tired. Itachi could also tell he was angry since the older man's jaw was locked and his teeth were grinding. Itachi sat down on the couch with his mother as he listened to the man talk to the other party on the phone.

"No Sasuke is not here; I'm telling you for the last time he went to a haunted house attraction last night with some friends and he probably spent the night at one of their houses. This is the fifth time you've asked me if he was here young man and no, I don't know why he's not picking up his cell phone," he practically growled into the receiver. The other person said something and Fugaku pulled the phone away from his ear to speak to Itachi.

"Who the hell gave this boy our home phone number?!" he hissed harshly.

"Who is it, father?" Itachi whispered back.

"That boy Sasuke was in a fake relationship with."

"What is he calling for?"

"He wants to talk to Sasuke about something but I don't care to know what. Yes, I'm still here and no, he has not come home yet! If you ask me that one more time I'll find you and cut out your tongue!" he shouted at the phone. He pressed it back to his ear and listened to the boy for another few minutes before he felt the strong urge to hit his head with the device repeatedly. Itachi stood up from the couch and took the phone from his father, which surprised the man.

"Listen to me, and listen well. When my father says Sasuke isn't home once it means he's not home. If he says it twice it means he's REALLY not home. If he has to say it any more times than that, it means SASUKE IS NOT HOME. Get it through your head that he's not here right now and start calling Sasuke himself."

With that Itachi hung up the phone and tossed it on the couch. Mikoto giggled to herself and Fugaku only sighed and leaned back into the chair he was sitting in.

"Why didn't I do that in the first place?"

"You did dear, that was the third time the boy called in the last two hours. What exactly did he want anyway?" Mikoto asked.

"He wanted to talk to Sasuke about something but I didn't really listen to what he said the subject was about. He didn't say if it was important or not but I stopped listening when I told him Sasuke wasn't here."

"Could it be he wanted to ask about Naruto?"

"It could have but I can't say one way or another. Now that that's over and done with, we'll go to Minato's now. He said that if we came early then Kushina would appreciate a distraction in the kitchen for a little while. She's been up since three this morning practically making a new menu for her restaurant with all of the food she's made."

"I'll take care of that then; I'm sure Minato could use a break from being an obedient husband for a while," Mikoto said with some slight dread in her voice. Itachi only shook his head and was thanking every god he knew that he wasn't married to the Red Hot Habanero. That woman could bake the best cookies on the planet and then throw them at you at speeds of Mach Five if she was angry.

The three headed out to their parking garage after they had each grabbed what they needed to take with them for any trip out of the house. Itachi was careful to grab both his regular cell phone and his work phone just in case Tobi called to confirm that Sasuke and Naruto arrived safely to their apartment. He was hoping against hope that the two of them wouldn't be under for more than a few weeks but he was an Uchiha, and he prepared for the worst.

After the short drive to the Namikaze-Uzumaki house, Itachi and his parents were startled to find Minato sitting on the front porch in his pajamas. In one hand was a cup of what seemed to be coffee and in the other was the morning newspaper; something that the elder blonde man hating reading. Fugaku took this as a bad sign overall and decided to tread the waters carefully when he started to walk towards him. Minato was a sweet caring man on any given day, but it took a very unique sort of person to be married to Kushina Uzumaki. The blonde was strong both physically and mentally and when he was angry he used that to his advantage; he could overpower and confuse his opponent in the blink of an eye and Fugaku had to restrain him on multiple occasions when they were still in school. As the head of the Uchiha family approached Minato, Mikoto and Itachi headed inside the house to find Naruto's mother. Fugaku sat down next to his best friend and waited until the blonde spoke.

"It says here that the high school is hosting a Christmas pageant next month for the creative arts programs. All of the proceeds go back into the school to pay for renovations the auditorium needs," Minato said half-heartedly. Fugaku raised an eyebrow out of worry and confusion. His best friend was reading the local paper…even worse.

"How much are the tickets?"

"Naruto loved performing…he had the lead role in his middle school play when they did Peter Pan. I'm sure that Naruto would have wanted to go if he knew about it."

"He's going to be safe Min, you'll see. When he comes home all of this will be just like a bad dream."

"I can't be sure of that Fu…he's my only child; I _need_ him to be safe."

"Itachi has everything under control."

"That doesn't really put my mind at ease. Not that I'm not confident in Itachi's abilities but he has no way of always knowing everything. For all we know Naruto's stalker already knows about what's happened and has followed them. Fugaku I don't even know where he is in the world right now!"

"Wherever it is, I'm sure that Sasuke had a say about it. You know Sasuke knows how picky Naruto is about overseas travel if your trip to Greece had anything to say about it. Plus Itachi will be in contact with them every couple of weeks to make sure they're doing alright."

"If Naruto lied about getting the letters then what's to stop him from lying about not being in any trouble wherever he is?"

"Sasuke is with him, that's what. Just try and take it one day at a time Min and before you know it they'll both be home and our wives will smother them to death."

Minato gave an amused snort as he finally cracked a semblance of a smile, despite his less than sour mood. Fugaku took that as a start and stood up. Pretending to dust off his pants of dirt that wasn't there he turned and held out his hand to his best friend.

"What do you say we go inside and get you into something suitable for public outings? Blue and gray plaid pajamas aren't really what everybody wants to see when you're going to lunch," the raven joked.

"Are you saying you have a problem with what I wear to bed?" Minato challenged playfully as he took the offered appendage and got to his feet.

"To bed it doesn't matter what you wear; if we're going into town for lunch then I would rather you be in a better choice. I wouldn't say suit and tie, but jeans and a button-down shirt would be better than what you have now," the Uchiha said after a brief once-over.

"I wasn't aware I was speaking to my parents. If that were the case then you should be instructing Kushina to show a little cleavage followed by receiving a whack over the head by two angry women." Fugaku glared a little to show he wasn't amused but Minato finally laughed and raised his hands in surrender. The two walked inside and saw Itachi sitting on the couch with a confused look on his otherwise handsome face.

"Son, what's the matter?"

"I take it Mikoto and Kushina spoke in codes again?" Minato asked. Itachi turned his head and nodded at him before Minato sat down beside him.

"What did they say?"

"Mother and I came in and she headed straight for the kitchen before she shouted 'babies doubled down in syrup'…and Kushina said 'lies for peacocks in a storm cloud' and started to cry. Then they went upstairs."

Fugaku couldn't blame his son for being confused. After all, to his knowledge Itachi had never heard his mother speak that way before. His mother and her best friend had decided to make their own code words to use with each other, like most girls do when they're teenagers so that their parents don't know what they're talking about, after they had both found out that they were pregnant with Sasuke and Naruto respectively. Luckily this code was one of the easier ones to break.

"When your mother said 'babies' she was referring to Sasuke and Naruto and 'doubled down' means left the nest. Syrup is 'safe' because when she was pregnant with Sasuke you'll remember that she wanted maple syrup on everything and only when she had it was she safe to be around," he explained. Itachi was still confused so Minato clarified a bit more for him.

"Lies for peacocks in a storm cloud roughly translates to 'I don't care, they're suffering'. I don't blame you for being lost."

"Then why didn't they just say that?" Itachi asked thoroughly confused.

"We have no idea; we're husbands. All we have to understand is that when they get together and they're both upset, they need their 'special codes' to make each other feel better," Minato explained, rather vaguely.

"You shouldn't question it much Itachi. Sometimes you just have to accept that there are things in this world that should be left unexplained. In thirty minutes, Kushina and your mother will be coming down those stairs with smiles on their faces and have their arms linked together like school girls."

True to his father's word, Itachi was dumbfounded to see that both women were indeed coming down the stairs arm in arm and laughing at what the other was saying. Still using their own words and phrases they joined the boys in the living room and Itachi could do nothing but wonder exactly what they had talked about to put them in such good moods after their babies were taken away from them. Kushina looked at her husband with a smile but immediately dropped it.

"Minato Namikaze, what on earth are you still doing in your pajamas?! We're all ready to go out to eat and you look like you're ready for bed! Get your ass upstairs and into something decent before I decide to dress you myself!"

"Yes dear, I'm on my way to our room now," the blonde yelled as he rushed out of the room to avoid his wife's temper. She followed him with her eyes to confirm that he was indeed heading to where he said he was before she sighed and sat down beside Mikoto.

"Give him a break Kushina, it's been a stressful morning for all of us. I'm sure that he slept as bad as you did last night," Mikoto said.

"I don't think he slept at all to be honest. After Itachi called us last night to tell us the boys were gone all I remember is breaking down in the kitchen and heading up to Naruto's room. I don't know how he ended up in his pajamas or how I got into my nightgown but when I woke up I was in our room. I'm not even sure if we spoke to each other."

"I'm sure you did, it's just that right now the memory is foggy. Once you both get some sleep it'll come back," Fugaku assured her. Kushina smiled at him and gave him a 'thank you' nod of her head.

"What I don't understand is why we haven't gotten any calls from their friends yet about where they are. I'm sure they went to the haunted house with Sakura and Sai, and I know that the youngest of the Sabaku siblings was looking forward to Naruto going," the red head commented curiously.

"We didn't get any calls yet either but their friends might just be calling Naruto and Sasuke's cell phones, not our house numbers."

"That's not entirely true, Mikoto. That Suigetsu boy called three times this morning asking if Sasuke was home and that he needed to talk to him," Fugaku reminded his wife.

"Right, but he didn't go to the attraction right?"

"No mother he didn't. I've asked one of the members of my unit to keep an eye on him ever since he planted that bug in our house. He told me he hadn't left his house all night last night before Kisame called saying he had the boys."

"If your colleague was watching Suigetsu and Naruto's stalker supposedly lives with him, then where was that little bastard?" Kushina asked a little harshly. Itachi shook his head and addressed the woman.

"I'm sorry but he didn't say anything about Haku, or as Sasuke likes to call him 'stalker bitch', being at the house last night. There may have been a small chance he was at the haunted house but from what Sasori reported he was last seen in downtown Konoha, close to the college."

"Then he's probably looking for Naruto. Which begs the question, if he knew where Naruto was at all times then why didn't he know that Naruto was here?" Fugaku openly pondered which left the rest of the occupants in the room puzzled.

"It's a reasonable question…but then it opens the one about who he got all of his information from," Itachi added.

Just as Minato was walking into the living room, dressed in jeans and a button down shirt with his jacket in his arm, the phone began to ring. Kushina jumped slightly at the sound and the Uchiha family briefly glanced at the ringing device. Minato waited for the machine to answer and after the short message telling the caller the family wasn't home, the machine beeped.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Namikaze, um…it's Sakura. I'm sorry for calling your house like this but I just wanted to know if Naruto got home safe last night. I've been trying to call him all morning and I just keep getting his voicemail. I hope he's just sleeping in but I haven't been able to reach Sasuke either. I don't know if you're both working right now but if you could please give me a call back as soon as you get this message, or if Naruto is there and gets this, I would appreciate it very much. You can reach me at this number any time, so I'm sorry again and thank you. Bye-bye."

The room was quiet after that and Minato looked towards Itachi. The younger raven glanced back at the man and answered his silent question.

"You can call her back later today and tell her that Naruto didn't come home. With any luck somebody will call our house asking the same thing about Sasuke and hopefully we can get the police involved."

"Why would we want the police involved now?" Kushina asked.

"Because somebody is bound to notice their absences at both of their schools and their social circles. If we tell their friends that yes they came home last night, then it will open questions about whether or not they're available for things. In that case we have to lie, and if an investigation about their disappearances opens up we'll all be questioned first. In the eyes of a detective, cover-ups about victims are held as phony alibies for ulterior motives," he explained.

"So we're going to call the police about filing missing person's reports instead of leading people in circles. Like Itachi has been saying all week, the less we know the better," Fugaku further explained.

"It makes sense if you think about it. Grieving parents is a far better ruse than potential guilty party. Even if the truth is we know about what's happening. Instead of the local police department, we'll just go straight to the Konoha officers we dealt with before. They may not be as good as my team but at least they can investigate some of the case as well. Of course they will have my full cooperation so long as they don't ask me to reveal too much of the plan."

"But Itachi we have no way of knowing that this Haku character will continue to stalk Naruto. What do we do if the trail goes cold and Sasuke and Naruto are still wherever you sent them?" Kushina asked with more concern in her voice than anger.

"I won't let them be under for more than six months, I promise. They have lives to continue back here and if I were truly doing this my way then they wouldn't be gone for more than a couple of weeks, if not at all."

"What do you mean your way?"

"Simply putting it Minato, Itachi has to follow the guidelines of the legal limits the Red Cloud organization has laid down for him. Things are done in private, almost secret if you will. That means no direct interrogations with suspects, no search warrants to acquire evidence and there can be no court appearances by any member of the cell other than the leader of the operation. I don't want to say that their actions are outside of the legal parameters of regular law enforcement, but their methods of getting the jobs they do done are on the shady side of things."

"Father is right. For example bank accounts set up for people that didn't exist a week ago. Most places want someone to set up an account in person along with a birthday, beneficiary, social security number and other personal information. Not to mention a form of photo identification to make sure you're really who you say you are. Witness Protection will take care of all of that criteria but the Red Cloud does things a little differently. We have private funding from anonymous sources that can be used to set up accounts for brief periods of time; usually no more than six months. Our hackers get into bank systems around the world to secure the client has use of their money so that their identity is kept safe."

"Is that how it will work for Sasuke and Naruto?"

"Yes. Suspicions would arise if either of you were to send money to an account you have no ties to. The same goes for my parents as well. I've already explained this to the boys but as I told you, the less you know the better."

"So one more question before we leave then; how are you going to get evidence to charge the suspect with if you can't interrogate or search who and what you need to?" Mikoto asked this time instead of her best friend.

"Anonymous tips given to the police who are working the case. If the evidence holds up and the case goes to trial, then I would appear in court and testify on behalf of my entire team. I might have to bring in a couple of people from my unit but otherwise it's all done behind a curtain," Itachi finished.

"As long as our kids come back safe then I don't care how you nail the bastard to the wall. Just try to bring them home quickly Itachi…that's all we ask."

Itachi nodded to Naruto's parents and the atmosphere around him suddenly grew heavy. What they were asking of him wasn't going to be easy and he knew it. Right now the boys were outside of his personal control; he had no way of knowing whether or not they were truly safe or not. Yes Deidara would check in on them every few weeks but ultimately they were on their own and it unnerved the raven greatly. But as his boss told him, too much personal involvement always led to tragedy. He had no choice but to believe that Sasuke and Naruto could handle themselves.

The two sets of parents walked out of the front door and were about to get into their vehicles when Itachi's cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He hurriedly pulled out the device and answered the call. He knew that it concerned his little brother since it wasn't his usual cell that went off. Placing the device next to his ear, he prepared to hear the update.

"Tell me what you've got."

 _"_ _Itachi it's been a long time since I've heard from you and all I get is the monotone order to give you information? Where is my hello?"_

"Tobi, please I don't have time. Just tell me what you know."

 _"_ _Not until you say hello,"_ the man now identified as Tobi said in a sing-song voice.

"Fine; hello Tobi. Now tell me what you have," Itachi all but growled.

 _"_ _See that wasn't so hard! Deidara-senpai was right; you do need to lighten up!"_

"Tobi! Did the targets reach their destination, yes or no?!" he yelled.

 _"_ _They're here, they're here; I was helping them get adjusted to their apartment and when I checked on them a few minutes ago they were asleep. The black haired one was close to crying when he arrived and I can only assume the one with the brown hair is Sasuke. I haven't seen him in so long but I can tell the resemblance between you two has gotten stronger. You two were so cute when you were little!"_

"Yes…that's him. He's in disguise, just keep that in mind. How did they take everything?"

 _"_ _The black haired one, like I said, was close to tears but when we started arranging the furniture he cheered up a bit. Your brother wouldn't let him out of his sight for the first hour or two. Sasuke though seemed angry. About what I can't really say at this point though."_

"It's probably the whole situation. Plus I can only guess that they didn't sleep well on the plane."

 _"_ _I don't think it was just a lack of sleep, Itachi. There seems to be something else and I know it concerns the other boy. I know they're supposed to be in hiding but he didn't say the kids name once,"_ Tobi revealed, making Itachi sigh in understanding.

"I think I know the problem and it has to do with their undercover profiles."

 _"_ _Okay so that doesn't answer my question. How does that explain why Sasuke is upset right now?"_

"Didn't you get their files?"

 _"_ _The only information I got was what Deidara-senpai told me when you asked if they could stay in my complex. I didn't get any sort of file on either of them. I don't even know the black haired kids real name,"_ Tobi explained.

"Naruto Uzumaki…you remember Minato's son right?"

 _"_ _Of course I do! He was adorable, always following Minato around like a little duckling and holding Sasuke's hand any time I visited! Wait…so that's who is with Sasuke?!"_

"Yes Tobi…that's who is with Sasuke," Itachi sighed for the nth time that morning and held the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, trying to prevent a headache. Any time he spoke with his distant cousin he left with a migraine and this time was proving to be the same.

 _"_ _So tell me why he's upset then."_

"Sasuke Uchiha loves Naruto Uzumaki. Logan Walker loves Conner Reid. Sasuke is Logan and Naruto is Conner, but Sasuke can't see Naruto as Conner. Therefore, Sasuke hates Conner because he's not Naruto. I imagine that Naruto feels the same about Logan. Yes they're only aliases but they have to live lives that aren't theirs and pretend to love each other through it all. Logan and Sasuke are the same person but different people at the same time, and the same goes for Naruto and Conner."

 _"_ _So then…the double lives are making them upset?"_

"I can only guess that's the case, which is why I don't want them under for very long. I've fabricated families and memories for them that they haven't experienced and they have to convince themselves and everyone around them that they exist, all for the sake of finding a stalker that may or may not continue to pursue them."

 _"_ _I'm sure they'll be fine; while they're in the apartment they can talk freely about anything they want to. The place is swept for bugs weekly and the walls are soundproof so they have privacy. I'm sure that they'll both appreciate the unwinding after all is said and done,"_ Tobi tried to assure his cousin. Truth be told, he felt for the pair. This was the reason he only held a position like the one he had in the Red Cloud; he never liked to lie. All of the deceit he had to perform normally for his job was stressful enough but he couldn't imagine just hopping into a whole other life in one night. He then swore that as long as he could help it he would help the two boys now in his charge to be happy.

"I'm glad I picked you for this job, Tobi. If anybody can keep those two from killing each other during this ordeal then I'm confident it's you. I just have one favor to ask of you and it might make you uncomfortable," Itachi began and was a little wary of actually asking this of somebody.

 _"_ _Sure! I'll do my best for you! So what's the favor?"_ the other man asked excitedly.

"Don't let them have sex."

There was a pause on the other line and Itachi just looked at his phone. Quickly he glanced at his parents, who were now waiting in the car and looking at him curiously, before he motioned that he would just be another minute. His mother smiled at him, seeming to know why he was on the phone, and he could almost hear Kushina yelling at her to tell her what she was smiling about. Going back to his 'conversation' he waited another ten seconds before he raised an eyebrow at the silence.

"Hello? Tobi are you still there?"

 _"_ _Yeah…I'm still here. I was just waiting for you to really say what your favor was."_

"Tobi, I was being serious. Don't let those two do any major fooling around or have sexual intercourse while they're at your complex."

 _"_ _And how do you suppose I go about doing that? It's not like I can put chastity belts on them or anything and they're over the legal age limit, not that anybody really pays attention to that nowadays. I also can't just tell them, 'hey, Itachi said that you guys can't do the dirty deed while you're away from both of your families or any influential figures to stop you' since I get the feeling that won't go over very well."_

"Trust me Tobi; if they do any sort of fooling around they'll regret it when they get back. Tell them to save it for the celebrating they'll be entitled to when they come home."

 _"_ _I still don't think they won't do anything. They are boys you know; they have needs and urges. I don't know just how far they've gone or how long they've been together but I can tell you that when push comes to shove they'll just follow their instincts,"_ he reasoned. Itachi sighed again and started to walk to the car his parents were waiting in.

"Just relay my message to them. If they really love each other then they'll wait. Tell them that I'm glad they arrived safe and to try and have some fun while they're there. Also that their families love them and miss them already and I'll try to bring them home as soon as possible. After we hang up I'm afraid I won't be having any contact with them for a while so…make sure they know I love them both," he said nearly choking on the forming lump in his throat. Tobi was quiet for a few seconds before giving his response.

 _"_ _I'll protect them for you Itachi, you can sleep easy. I do know what to look for. I'll get more details out of Deidara-senpai so for now just focus on catching this creep. I'll look forward to your next call Itachi."_

"Plan on hearing from me every couple of weeks. If something comes up then I'll let you know. Thank you for doing this Tobi. I'll call next when I know something. Goodbye."

Itachi ended the call without waiting for Tobi's response. Putting the phone back in his pocket and joining his parents in the vehicle he summarized the conversation with Minato and Kushina before they left to eat. The four older adults breathed in relief knowing that at least the boys had made it to their destination safely, but at the same time understanding that that was probably all they would know for as long as Sasuke and Naruto were gone. Twenty minutes of driving later put them at a quaint family owned restaurant that they frequented often when they were in need of good coffee or 'comfort dessert' to pick them up. They were seated at a table by one of the large windows, ordered their drinks and began small talking. The conversation centered around Sasuke and Naruto but nobody really minded sifting through their memories of the boys if it meant keeping their eyes dry and their noses free of phlegm.

Just as their meals had arrived another customer opened the doors to the place and before Itachi could take a bite out of his chicken and cheese penne, somebody slammed their hands down on the table. Startled, but not showing it, five heads turned towards the figure looming over them. Groaning, Fugaku nearly hit his head against a wall to see Suigetsu Hozuki out of breath and panting all over his wife. As the shark-like boy regained his breath he picked his head up quickly addressed the family.

"I knew that was an Uchiha vehicle in the parking lot! What the hell are you doing here?!" he yelled attracting stares and questionable whispers amongst the other diners.

"I do believe we're permitted to eat out whenever we feel like it and I'm only going to ask once that you leave," Fugaku answered.

"No way, not until somebody tells me what happened to Sasuke! I know something is up since he's not answering any calls and I have to warn him about something!"

"Then for god's sake lower your voice! Can't this have waited until later? You know, for a better scenario?" Mikoto scolded him in a harsh whisper.

"You guys wouldn't answer my calls."

"I believe my father answered three of them; all of which seemed to ask the same question. Sasuke wasn't home, still probably isn't home, and as you can see not with us. Now unless you have another question for us to easily dismiss, I suggest you leave before my meal goes cold."

"I have to know where he is; it's a matter of life and death! And it's not just his life I'm talking about either!"

"Then go outside and wait for us to be finished with our meal. If I were to eat with you hovering over my table then I'm sure I wouldn't be able to stomach it, and I'm quite hungry at the moment."

"I'm not going anywhere unless one of you calls Sasuke for yourselves! It's one thing if he doesn't answer my calls, but if he misses one from you guys then I know something is wrong!" Suigetsu continued to yell. Finally though one of the managers of the restaurant came over to him and kindly asked him to leave before he was forced to kick him out. Suigetsu crossed his arms stubbornly and stomped each foot on the ground, so as to say 'I'm not leaving until I get what I want' with his posture.

Sighing but reaching into his coat pocket, Itachi pulled out his every day cell phone and quickly dialed Sasuke's number. Pressing the phone to his ear and giving Suigetsu a 'are you happy now?' look, he waited to hear something from the other line. Luckily, Itachi had prepared for something like this to happen and the Red Cloud connected Sasuke's old phone to a voice synthesizer. Calls only came through for certain phone numbers which made the operator's life a little easier when he was needed. Connecting the call, 'Sasuke' answered.

"Little brother, I do hope you know just how much I hate your friend right now. Where are you? …yes. …Suigetsu is standing with us right now. And you must know that because of him my food is getting cold. …who are you with again? …ah, I see. Well tell him I said hello and I hope I wasn't interrupting anything. Yell at me all you want Sasuke, but if it wasn't for this boy standing by my table I wouldn't have called in the first place. …put him on the phone? Sasuke I'm sure you don't need to do that. …oh you're pissed right now? Well then, by all means, I'll put him on."

Itachi handed the phone to a reluctant Suigetsu and the other four sitting at the table all just had to laugh to themselves at Itachi's acting. Also the scared look on the other boys' face was laughable as well. Gulping down his saliva and gathering his 'courage' the white haired boys pressed the phone to his ear and said a hesitant 'Sasuke?' before the other speaker began talking. What they said couldn't really be heard but Suigetsu froze and his eyes went wide before he panicked.

"Uchiha, whatever you do, don't move from where you are! It's dangerous for you and Naruto right now," that got the family's attention, "and if you so much as think about not doing what I say then you're going to die! Dump your phone and get a disposable one and head to your college. Meet me there and don't ask questions; this is important! I'm heading there now so if you're not there in an hour I'm calling the police." He hung up the phone and tossed it back to Itachi. Before he could run from the restaurant, Itachi stood up and grabbed the boy's arm. Itachi proceeded to drag the boy to the parking lot and forced him into his father's SUV.

"What the hell is the big idea?! I have to warn Sasuke!"

"What do you know?" Itachi asked calmly. Suigetsu paused and eyed the older man up before rolling his eyes and trying to force his way past the raven. Itachi only grabbed Suigetsu's wrist and applied pressure to a certain point just below his palm. The white-haired boy stopped and hissed at the pain.

"I'll ask you again…what do you know?"

"My cousin Haku; he's planning something for Sasuke! I went to his room this morning to check on him since he's been moody lately and I found pictures of Sasuke all over the place with his face all messed up. Also pictures of Naruto were all over the walls but they had hearts all over them! Haku also has a few pictures where he cut out whoever Naruto was with and put his face over theirs! Haku's crazy about Naruto and he's bent on hurting Sasuke and I have to warn them before he does something drastic! I called the cops already but they said they can't do anything unless the effected party files a complaint or an actual crime has been committed. Haku can be creepy but on his own he's not much of a threat. But he's got some really shady people he hangs out with and I'm pretty sure if they get involved somebody is going to get seriously hurt! If this is because of his broken friendship with Naruto then I feel responsible to make sure they're both okay…I'm partly to blame anyway. So don't try to stop me man or I'll just have to take you down!"

Itachi listened to the boys explanation and stood stone still, taking all of it in. Although this was a prime opportunity to catch Haku, he couldn't involve the Red Cloud just yet. The Uchiha closed his eyes and heaved a sigh, making Suigetsu curious.

"Leave everything to me."


End file.
